Air New Zealand CEO predicts the end of spotty Wi-Fi on planes with Starlink.

Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran stated that the days of limited or no Wi-Fi on airplanes are coming to an end.

On full-service carriers, fast and dependable Wi-Fi will become standard, as stated by him on "Squawk Box Asia" on Friday.

The latest "it" product to have on board for fast and ideally free internet in the skies is SpaceX's Starlink services.

In late 2024, Air New Zealand will install Starlink services on two domestic aircraft, providing high-speed internet via 6,000 satellites. Passengers will be able to stream videos and send instant messages on multiple devices, the company announced in December 2023.

The planned Starlink trials on Air New Zealand's aircraft have been postponed to 2025, according to Foran's statement to CNBC on Friday.

"We plan to have Starlink operating on one of our turbo props and jets early next year. We have tested it in some ways, but now we need to get it operational on the planes. After that, we will assess the rollout."

Starlink at scale

United Airlines has signed the largest agreement for Starlink services in the industry, with testing set to begin in 2025 and eventually be rolled out to its entire fleet of over 1,000 planes.

Starlink will provide fast, reliable internet services to passengers worldwide, including remote and previously unreachable areas such as mid-ocean and polar regions.

Both airlines have announced that Starlink services will be offered to customers for free or included in airfare, eliminating the need for mid-flight purchases and providing fast connectivity in the skies.

Prior to speaking to CNBC, Foran had met with representatives of Starlink and its owner, SpaceX, for two hours.

"We've made great strides with this," he remarked. "We're almost at the end of this journey … I believe it will be an exceptional product."

In the skies, Starlink is rapidly gaining popularity as an internet provider, with partnerships established with major commercial airlines like Hawaiian Airlines and smaller ones like JSX.

In the summer of 2025, Air France will introduce Starlink internet services to its entire fleet, which was announced in late September.

The French carrier characterized the move as a significant advancement in its upward trajectory.