Southwest Airlines recently reached an impressive milestone after debuting ultra-fast Starlink Wi-Fi earlier this year.
The Dallas-based low-cost carrier hosted the first-ever live gaming tournament in the sky onboard a special flight from Austin to San Diego en route to TwitchCon, taking place at the San Diego Convention Center this weekend.
The showcase, featuring Twitch creators, marks a key step as Southwest seeks to become the first major U.S. airline to equip its entire fleet with Starlink by fall 2027.
"Gaming is all about connection, competition, and sharing the moment with a community, which made bringing a live tournament onboard such a natural fit for Southwest," Sabrina Callahan, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at Southwest Airlines, said in a statement.
"Southwest is known for making the journey memorable for our Customers, and this was a unique way to unite the energy of TwitchCon with the power of Starlink at 35,000 feet," said Callahan.
"Our Customers want to stay connected in the air just as they do on the ground, and Starlink is helping us deliver that experience," added Lisa Hingson, Vice President, Customer Experience & Innovation. "Livestreaming a gaming tournament shows what this technology can do, made possible by Starlink’s constellation of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites."
"Whether Customers want to stream, work, or simply stay connected along the way, we’re investing in an in-flight experience that gives them more freedom to spend their time onboard the way they want," Hingson said.
Southwest currently offers free Wi-Fi to all Rapid Rewards program members via T-Mobile.
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