British Airways Starlink Rollout Slowed by Hangar Shortage

British Airways is experiencing a significant slowdown in the deployment of Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet, a delay attributed to a lack of hangar time and ongoing aircraft reliability issues. The rollout, intended to bring free, high-speed internet to passengers, has stalled despite the availability of the necessary hardware.

The airline launched the service on March 19, 2026, making it the first UK-based carrier to implement Starlink’s low-latency, broadband-quality Wi-Fi. At the time of launch, the service was provided for free to all passengers on board.

Reporting from Paddleyourownkanoo indicates that the rollout has since slowed to a snail’s pace. In the nine weeks following the launch, British Airways has managed to install the Starlink kits on only five Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

The five aircraft currently equipped with the technology carry the registrations ZBJA, ZBJI, ZBJJ, ZBJK, and ZBJM. Given the size of the fleet, passengers currently have a 1 in 55 chance of flying on a Starlink-equipped aircraft.

The airline’s initial strategy focused on 12 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. Some of these aircraft had been in service for up to 12 years without any Wi-Fi installation. The plan was to complete the upgrades on these 12 aircraft before transitioning the installation process to the Boeing 787-9 fleet, which also includes aircraft that have never been fitted with Wi-Fi.

The delays are not attributed to technical failures or equipment shortages. Starlink has the required installation kits available for use. Instead, the bottleneck is operational; British Airways has been unable to secure sufficient hangar time to perform the modifications because fleet reliability issues have led to last-minute flight cancellations and a shortage of available aircraft.

The pace of the British Airways rollout contrasts sharply with that of other global carriers. Starlink reports that at United Airlines, the average installation time for the Wi-Fi kit is approximately eight hours. This installation speed is roughly 10 times faster than traditional in-flight Wi-Fi solutions.

Other airlines have demonstrated similar efficiency. Qatar Airways has reportedly equipped dozens of aircraft with the technology within the same timeframe that British Airways has equipped five.

The current rate of installation poses a risk to the airline’s internal goals. If British Airways does not significantly increase the speed of the rollout in the coming months, it is projected to have only 20% of its fleet equipped with the free, ultra-fast Wi-Fi by its own established deadline.