Amazon LEO Skips 500 American Airlines Jets; EU Limits Satellite Spectrum Share
AMZN•Amazon’s LEO satellite business was shortlisted but not chosen to equip 500 Airbus jets for American Airlines, ceding the contract to SpaceX’s Starlink and delaying its rollout. The European Commission will allocate only one-third of mobile satellite spectrum to non-EU firms like Amazon LEO, constraining its regional capacity.
1. American Airlines opts for Starlink over Amazon LEO
Starting early next year, Starlink hardware will be installed on approximately 500 narrow-body Airbus jets, including the A321neo, while Boeing aircraft will continue using existing Viasat and Panasonic systems. American Airlines evaluated Amazon LEO until March but awarded the connectivity contract to SpaceX, postponing Amazon’s in-flight service launch.
2. EU limits Amazon LEO spectrum allocation
Next year the European Commission will reassign mobile satellite spectrum currently held by Viasat and EchoStar, granting two-thirds to European operators and only one-third to non-EU firms such as Amazon LEO. This restriction will cap Amazon’s potential capacity and market reach in Europe when the new allocations take effect in May 2027.
