Korean Air Starlink Wi-Fi
Seoul, Dec 5: Korean Air and fellow Hanjin Group carriers Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul will roll out Starlink high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi across their fleets, becoming the first South Korean airlines to adopt the low Earth orbit satellite service.
Installation preparation and testing will begin later this year, with the earliest services expected from the third quarter of 2026. Korean Air and Asiana will first equip long-haul Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900 aircraft, targeting fleetwide completion after their integration by the end of 2027, while Jin Air will start with its Boeing 737-8 and Air Busan and Air Seoul will determine their own priorities.
Starlink’s network of more than 8,000 satellites at around 550 km altitude can deliver peak speeds of up to 500 Mbps, supporting streaming, gaming, video calls and cloud-based work for passengers in all cabins.
“Connectivity is an essential part of the travel experience, and with Starlink, our customers will stay connected with fast and seamless internet,” said a Korean Air representative.
“As Korea’s flag carrier and a leading global airline, we are committed to upgrading our services and infrastructure to deliver an elevated passenger journey as we strive to become the world’s most loved airline.”
Chad Gibbs, VP of Starlink Business Operations, SpaceX, said: “We’re thrilled to deliver industry-leading, high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi fleetwide to Korean Air and Hanjin Group airlines and their guests. With Starlink onboard, you’ll be able to continue working productively, stream your favorite shows, and game just as you can do on the ground.”
Qatar Airways Returns
Sydney, Dec 5: Qatar Airways has resumed daily flights to Canberra via Melbourne, with the first service touching down on 2 December 2025, restoring the Australian capital to the airline’s six-city network alongside Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne. The daily Boeing 777 service connects Canberra travellers to more than 170 destinations through Hamad International Airport in Doha, with Qsuite Business Class* offering fully lie-flat beds, privacy doors and a menu designed by Australian chef Ross Lusted, and all passengers benefiting from complimentary high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “We are delighted to return to Canberra and once again, serve Australia’s capital city. This milestone represents our continued commitment to the Australian market and to connecting communities across the world.
“Whether travelling for business, government service, study, or leisure, we look forward to welcoming passengers from Canberra back on board and providing them with the world-class services Qatar Airways is renowned for.”
Canberra Airport CEO, Mr. Stephen Byron, said: “The return of Qatar Airways is a game-changer for international travel. It restores a vital link for over a million people across the ACT and southern NSW, while opening the door to global opportunities for business and tourism.”
The carrier, named World’s Best Airline by Skytrax 2025 for a record ninth time, also holds titles for World’s Best Business Class, Best Airline in the Middle East and Best Business Class Lounge (Al Mourjan Lounge – The Garden). Through its partnership with Virgin Australia, the Canberra service offers onward domestic connections to Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Melbourne.
RBA Surcharge Ban Will Push Up Prices
Sydney, Dec 5: The Reserve Bank of Australia’s proposed blanket ban on debit and credit card surcharges – recently deferred until March – is being condemned as a threat to the survival of Australia’s travel sector. Travel agents say the plan would force them to absorb card-processing fees of 1–2%, wiping out margins that typically sit between 0.75% and 3.9%.
Industry groups warn the policy will not remove payment costs but simply embed them in the base price of every flight, hotel and tour – a “waterbed effect” that increases the cost of living for all consumers, regardless of how they pay.
The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) said: “A complete surcharge ban would likely result in a shift of these costs to higher base prices or increased service fees, amounting to an across-the-board cost-of-living increase with all customers paying more regardless of how they choose to pay. The removal of the ability to apply reasonable and transparent surcharges would therefore have a material effect on the ongoing viability of these businesses if they were forced to absorb them.”
A case study from Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Centre Managing Director Adrienne Witteman shows the potential impact: she confirms she would need to raise all baseline prices by 2% to remain viable, then possibly offer a small discount for customers who pay via direct deposit — a change that removes price transparency and forces cash/EFT customers to subsidise card users.
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