European airline becomes the latest to launch free Wi-fi on board,
A European airline has become the latest to offer free WiFi on board its flights.
The flag carrier of the Netherlands, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, has introduced free, unlimited Wi-Fi on its European flights.
KLM is rolling out free Wi-Fi in phases across most of the aircraft used for its European routes.
As of last Thursday (January 22), half of the European fleet is equipped with free internet service.
In the coming years, WiFi will be available on all A321neo, Embraer 195-E2 and a portion of the B737-800 aircraft.
After logging in or registering as a Flying Blue member, passengers can enjoy unlimited internet access during their flight.
Stephanie Putzeist, responsible for customer experience at KLM, commented: ‘We listen carefully to what our passengers value and free internet has been on their wish list for some time.
‘Through this step, we are making travel within Europe more personal and comfortable: everyone can plan their flight in their own way and stay connected. We are delighted to realise this now for our passengers.’
Passengers can connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi as soon as they are seated, or shortly after take-off in some countries.
Since August last year, KLM has added 12 new A321neo aircraft to its fleet.
These aircraft, which serve European destinations exclusively, are equipped not only with Wi-Fi but also with modern, comfortable seats.
Multiple British airlines are already offering in-flight Wi-Fi.
Virgin Atlantic became the first UK airline to announce free, fast, and, soon to be, fleet-wide Wi-Fi across its Airbus A330neo, A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft, powered by SpaceX’s Starlink satellite technology.
Full completion is expected by the end of 2027, offering gate-to-gate connectivity.
British Airways offers paid Wi-Fi on most flights, with a major upgrade to free, gate-to-gate Starlink connectivity starting in early 2026.
The flag carrier of the Republic of Ireland, Aer Lingus, provides paid Wi-Fi options, including messaging and browsing packages.
It comes after Elon Musk and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary exchanged sharp words after the airline boss confirmed he has no plans to introduce Starlink internet on board the carrier’s aircraft.
O’Leary dismissed the idea of installing in-flight Wi-Fi across Ryanair’s fleet, expressing concerns over increased fuel consumption.
He added that Ryanair’s passengers would be unlikely to pay extra for Wi-Fi on short, one-hour flights.
Ryanair operates thousands of short- and medium-haul services across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and currently offers no on-board Wi-Fi to customers.
