The Moroccan flag carrier signed the agreement on Aug. 4 with Starlink, the satellite internet subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, according to the Paris-based publication.
The deal follows a testing phase conducted on several RAM aircraft in recent months. The airline now plans to progressively install Starlink connectivity across its fleet, which consists predominantly of Boeing aircraft, with full deployment targeted for 2027.
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The new timetable would put RAM ahead of an earlier schedule discussed in 2025, which envisaged introducing onboard Wi-Fi by 2028 alongside the planned delivery of around 100 new Boeing aircraft, Africa Intelligence reported.
The agreement would also mark a first for Starlink in African commercial aviation. According to Africa Intelligence, Royal Air Maroc would become the first African airline to use Starlink to provide connectivity aboard its aircraft. Ethiopian Airlines already offers Wi-Fi on some flights but relies on a different satellite broadband system using Ka-band technology.
Months of negotiations over costs
The agreement follows protracted negotiations between RAM and Starlink.
Africa Intelligence reported that the Moroccan airline considered Starlink’s initial offer too expensive, while the U.S. company attributed the proposed pricing to high operating costs and technical constraints associated with RAM’s requirements.
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Starlink applies a progressive pricing model when several airlines using its network operate along overlapping routes, according to the publication. Later customers may require more advanced technology to prevent interference or slower satellite data transmission for other carriers already using the service.
That consideration is relevant to RAM because several of its air corridors overlap with those operated by Air France, which announced a partnership with Starlink in late 2024 to progressively introduce the service across its fleet.
The agreement would give Royal Air Maroc a significant upgrade to its onboard connectivity as the airline pursues a broader expansion strategy and prepares to substantially enlarge its fleet over the coming years.
The Starlink rollout is expected to proceed gradually before reaching full capacity across RAM’s fleet in 2027, according to Africa Intelligence.
