Starlink restructures in-motion service tiers; caps Roam and Priority plans

Starlink notified customers on Monday that it has restructured its Roam and Priority services and introduced two new aviation-specific tiers. Standard Roam and Priority plans are now capped at 100 mph ground speed. The company's Roam plans were commonly used by light aircraft operating below typical airline cruise speeds. The Local Priority plan supported speeds up to 350 mph with 100GB of data for $50 per month, according to AvBrief. The plan was not aviation-specific but supported in-motion connectivity and was used by general aviation operators for real-time weather access, flight plan updates and communications. Now, most piston and turboprop aircraft exceed the 100 mph threshold while in cruise. The new plans are aviation-specific tiers and include a 300mph plan and a 450mph plan. The Aviation 300mph plan has 20 GB of data and is priced at $250 per month, with a fee of $10 per additional GB used. The Aviation 450mph plan also provides 20 GB of data per month but is priced at $1,000 per month with additional data billed at $50 per GB, according to Avweb. "A large number of general aviation operators across the globe have used Starlink as a safety-enhancing tool, and it is unfortunate that the company has now priced out the lion's share of general aviation pilots," said Jim Coon, AOPA senior VP of government affairs and advocacy. "I hope Starlink will consider the concerns raised by pilots who have invested significant resources into the technology and are now faced with an incredibly steep rate hike, which will undoubtedly result in large numbers of subscription cancellations and less revenue for the company." RELATED STORIES: Archer partners with Starlink to bring connectivity to Midnight air taxis NetJets partners with Starlink to bring high-speed connectivity to fleet Starlink connectivity solution now available on Citation Longitude jets Pilots have expressed frustration with the change. An online petition on Change.com is calling for Starlink to reinstate a roaming option suitable for general aviation speeds. There are concerns that some high-performance turbine aircraft operators will be forced to use even more expensive monthly plans because the 450mph plan is still below the cruise speed of those aircraft, according to AOPA. "We urge Starlink to reconsider their decision and reinstate the roaming plans with a speed that accommodates general aviation and that have become a lifeline for so many pilots navigating the skies," said the petition. "By doing so, they would continue to enhance the safety and effectiveness of aviation operations and support pilots who rely on this crucial technology in the air."