Royal Air Maroc Set to Become First African Airline to Adopt Starlink Connectivity
Royal Air Maroc is poised to become the first African commercial airline to use SpaceX’s Starlink technology to provide in-flight connectivity to its passengers, following an agreement reached between the Moroccan national carrier and Starlink after several months of negotiations.
The deal is reported to have been concluded on 4 August by Royal Air Maroc’s Chairman and CEO Abdelhamid Addou. The agreement envisions equipping the airline’s entire fleet with Starlink connectivity by 2027, a timeline that represents an acceleration from earlier projections targeting 2028. A first phase of testing is expected to be conducted on select aircraft before the technology is rolled out across the entire fleet.
It is worth noting that Royal Air Maroc has not yet officially confirmed the partnership, and Starlink has not yet been formally approved for operation in Morocco.
How the Technology Works
Starlink Aviation most likely uses an Earth Station in Motion system to provide connectivity to aircraft in flight. ESIMs are a category of satellite earth stations specifically designed to deliver connectivity to moving platforms, including aircraft, ships, and trains, making them well-suited to the demands of in-flight broadband services.
A First for Africa, Part of a Global Trend
The development positions Royal Air Maroc as a pioneer on the continent at a moment when Starlink is rapidly expanding its footprint in the aviation sector worldwide. More than 20 airlines globally have adopted Starlink or are in the process of equipping their fleets, with several having already completed full deployment, including Qatar Airways and Hawaiian Airlines.
For Starlink, which has built a growing network of airline partnerships across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, Royal Air Maroc represents a first foothold in Africa’s fast-evolving aviation market, a region where demand for reliable in-flight connectivity has been growing alongside broader passenger traffic expansion.
This article includes information originally reported by Africa Intelligence on August 18, 2026.