United Airlines Caught in Starlink Storm After Elon Musk’s Explosive Tweet – View from the Wing

United Airlines is adding free Starlink wifi to its planes over the coming years, with the first install expected in service next year. Based on experience with Hawaiian Airlines and JSX, it should be faster – and with far less latency – than competitors’ wifi.

Blogger and political candidate Seth Miller calls the decision into question in light of Elon Musk’s politics, and an incendiary tweet sent by Musk over the weekend. Musk is the founder and controlling shareholder of SpaceX which provides Starlink connectivity. And he noted that Donald Trump has seen two assassination attempts while the Democratic nominee for President hasn’t seen any.

Has anyone asked United how it feels about the public calls for political assassination by the owner of its newly announced fleet-wide internet provider? pic.twitter.com/XoEZ221DRl

— Seth Miller (@WandrMe) September 16, 2024

Musk has done what for him is an apology – recognizing that his tweet was un-funny, and that it wouldn’t come across as-intended.

Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024

Well, one lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024

Meanwhile, United probably doesn’t align with Elon Musk’s politics. While airlines like many big corporations have moved towards inclusiveness and recognizing the diverse backgrounds of their employees and making customers from all walks of life feel welcome, United has been the most ‘woke’ – supporting affirmative action in California, committing to choosing board members based on race and imposing speech codes.

I’d note that United’s decision to install Starlink – and SpaceX’s decision to offer it to United – was a commercial one. My use of Twitter stems from finding it useful and interesting, rather than an affinity play with Musk. Similarly I think choice of car – Tesla vs. something else – is a decision I’d make based on the quality, convenience and price of the vehicle.

I did not at all take Musk to be calling for assassination rather he was making a point that maybe was in poor taste, as we all do from time to time but maybe he does more often? When he hosted Saturday Night Live three years ago, he observed “I reinvented the electric car and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Did you really think I was going to be a normal chill dude?”

(HT: @bags)