An aviation group is warning SpaceX that it could face an exodus of users after the company instituted new policies that raise the cost of using Starlink on small planes.
“If the current pricing structure remains unchanged, a large portion of the installed general aviation user base will likely be forced to discontinue service,” the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), which represents 400,000 pilots, wrote to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
The letter, first reported by Aviation Week, urges Musk to consider more affordable pricing. Starlink has been popular among small plane owners as a way to receive in-flight satellite internet with the Mini dish. But starting this month, SpaceX imposed a 100mph speed limit on its Starlink Roam and Priority plans, effectively shutting down aircraft connectivity.
As an alternative, SpaceX has been pushing affected customers to the recently announced Aviation 300MPH and Aviation 450MPH plans. But both are significantly more expensive than the $165-per-month Roam plan, which offers unlimited data. Instead, SpaceX is asking customers to pay $250 per month for the Aviation 300MPH plan, which offers only 20GB of data and caps speeds at 300mph.
(Credit: Starlink.com)
Meanwhile, the Aviation 450MPH costs $1,000 per month while still only offering 20GB of monthly data. With both plans, customers can buy more data on a per-GB basis.
The resulting price hike has upset plane owners; some say they’ve already canceled their Starlink subscriptions. In Monday’s letter, the AOPA echoed those concerns, noting that “many pilots and small operators made substantial financial commitments to equip their aircraft with Starlink-compatible hardware shortly after it became available.”
“These investments were made in good faith based on the expectation that the service would remain economically viable for the general aviation sector, which operates under markedly different financial realities than commercial airline or corporate aviation markets,” the 3-page letter adds. “Unlike airline fleets or large corporate operators, most general aviation aircraft are individually owned or operated by small businesses with limited operating margins.”
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The group also fears that losing Starlink access could endanger pilots, since the satellite internet service can be used for emergency communications and to receive important weather alerts.
The AOPA asked SpaceX to consider speaking with the group about a “revised framework” to lower the costs for owners of small planes. “Several pathways could merit consideration, including a dedicated general aviation service calibrated for small aircraft, pricing options that align cost with actual network consumption, and an early adopter protection program for aircraft owners who have already invested significant capital in Starlink aviation equipment,” the AOPA says.
SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But the company has already been charging fairly high prices to install Starlink at major airlines, in addition to a $10,000-per-month unlimited data plan. Last week, the company also grounded its $5-per-month Standby Mode for Starlink, removing the in-motion use.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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