Jarvis’s comments follow a recent public exchange between Starlink owner Elon Musk and Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, over the cost of installing Starlink’s in-flight Wi-Fi systems, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
O’Leary has argued that the fuel drag caused by Wi-Fi antennae mounted on aircraft could cost airlines around $200 million annually, adding that few price-sensitive passengers would be willing to pay for the service.
“At the moment, where we are with our talks with Starlink, the economics aren’t quite working for us,” Jarvis told journalists during a post-earnings call. He noted, however, that Starlink’s product is “a really good one,” highlighting its fast streaming capabilities.
Jarvis said easyJet is also in discussions with other connectivity providers, describing in-flight Wi-Fi as a “rapidly changing market.” He added that the airline plans to continue talks with Starlink and other companies while closely monitoring developments in technology and pricing.
“When the time is right, we’ll pick the right service,” Jarvis said, adding that it was not yet possible to say when such a decision might be made.
