Royal Air Maroc to install Starlink wi-fi on 41 aircraft

Royal Air Maroc will begin installing SpaceX's Starlink in-flight wi-fi on 41 aircraft in early 2027, the Casablanca-based carrier said. That is more than half its fleet, and the airline said it would be the first operator in Africa to offer the service.

Safar Flyer loyalty programme members will get the connectivity at no cost. Starlink uses low-Earth orbit satellites to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet with worldwide coverage.

Chief executive Hamid Addou called the installation part of a multi-year plan covering fleet renewal, cabin redesign and an overhaul of the customer experience on the ground and in the air. The airline did not say which aircraft types would receive the equipment.

Royal Air Maroc flies roughly 70 aircraft, including Boeing 737 Max 8s, 787s and 737-800s, plus Embraer 190s and ATR 72-600s.

The carrier said placing next-generation connectivity at the centre of its service would help build the foundations for a more modern and competitive African aviation industry. Lauren Dreyer, vice-president of Starlink business operations at SpaceX, said Royal Air Maroc's passengers would get the same high-speed, low-latency experience already available to travellers on other continents.

SpaceX has signed several North American carriers for the service, among them Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, WestJet and the charter operator JSX. Earlier this year the company also reached an agreement with Indigo Partners covering more than 1,000 aircraft flown by five of the airlines it backs, including Frontier.