United Airlines is adding free Starlink wifi to its planes over the coming years, with the first install expected in service next year. Based on experience with Hawaiian Airlines and JSX, it should be faster – and with far less latency – than competitors’ wifi.
Blogger and political candidate Seth Miller calls the decision into question in light of Elon Musk’s politics, and an incendiary tweet sent by Musk over the weekend. Musk is the founder and controlling shareholder of SpaceX which provides Starlink connectivity. And he noted that Donald Trump has seen two assassination attempts while the Democratic nominee for President hasn’t seen any.
Has anyone asked United how it feels about the public calls for political assassination by the owner of its newly announced fleet-wide internet provider? pic.twitter.com/XoEZ221DRl
— Seth Miller (@WandrMe) September 16, 2024
Musk has done what for him is an apology – recognizing that his tweet was un-funny, and that it wouldn’t come across as-intended.
Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024
Well, one lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2024
Meanwhile, United probably doesn’t align with Elon Musk’s politics. While airlines like many big corporations have moved towards inclusiveness and recognizing the diverse backgrounds of their employees and making customers from all walks of life feel welcome, United has been the most ‘woke’ – supporting affirmative action in California, committing to choosing board members based on race and imposing speech codes.
I’d note that United’s decision to install Starlink – and SpaceX’s decision to offer it to United – was a commercial one. My use of Twitter stems from finding it useful and interesting, rather than an affinity play with Musk. Similarly I think choice of car – Tesla vs. something else – is a decision I’d make based on the quality, convenience and price of the vehicle.
I did not at all take Musk to be calling for assassination rather he was making a point that maybe was in poor taste, as we all do from time to time but maybe he does more often? When he hosted Saturday Night Live three years ago, he observed “I reinvented the electric car and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Did you really think I was going to be a normal chill dude?”
(HT: @bags)
The sheep that continue to suck up to billionaires will defend him.
Elon Musk is a modern day hero and of the greatest humans to ever live.
@WileyDog – he and Bezos are 2 of the most innovative people of the 20th and 21st centuries. BTW – totally different politics so it doesn’t matter to me. I frankly could care less about the “optics” of investments, purchases etc but I recognize brilliance. No sucking up and you come across as just a jealous wanna be.
Musk. Another “it’s all about me”.
What he means is that Trump supporters aren’t unhinged, murderous a-holes. That is why nobody is trying to assassinate Joe or the Ho.
In Musk’s defense, he has a related medical condition that helps explain that post – he’s a walking, talking dick.
WTH should it matter that the majority shareholder and executive of the vendor United is using made a joke that fell flat?
A new level of censorship and communist style election tactics that illustrate the reason why you should never vote for anyone like KH (the one who never answers a single policy question and goes into a long winded rant).
Musk is a smart guy. He should know there are no funny jokes about assassinations.
@AC – “Brilliance”? Seriously? There are many reason why people become successful, two key ones being “being in the right place at right time” and “willing to take big risks”. These have turned out to be the principal reasons for Musk’s success. Not brilliance. The gig is up, he has shown to be a total moron. To justify my assertions, I offer you this:
1. Musk took over Twitter by cobbling together a bunch of other morons that believed in his flawed vision and paid far more than potential value of the company. And has proceeded to destroy it. Twitter is bleeding so badly that Musk will need to take out money from his other businesses to keep it going. So let me ask you this: What moron pisses off his major customers (advertisers), then proceeds to sue them? Does this sound like a genius business move?
2. Musk has been propping up the value of Tesla ever since he got involved with them, with impossible to meet goals that are ludicrous. “Full Self Driving” will never happen. “Robotaxis”, are you frigging kidding me? And anyone paying $10K to $20K for a “Personal Robot”? Sales growth?
Tesla’s market cap today is pretty much a meme stock, no basis for the valuation. About the same as DJT. Does he look brilliant now?
3. Hopefully by now it should be clear to everyone that cryptocurrency is a really stupid idea and private cryptos like Bitcoin and Musk’s favorite Doge are simply meme investments. Does it surprise you that Musk has been a crypto fan from Day 1 and still is?
Do you see a pattern here? Musk is nothing but a con man like his new best friend Trump. He has been riding the meme valuation train for many years, and it should be clear to everyone that he may have had a few good ideas in the past, but unlike Bezos, he has shown to be a terrible businessman.
@ Common Sense — Yes, it is clearly much better to vote for someone who tried to overthrow the government and lies everytime he opens his mouth. You have no common sense.
Gary, the malleability of your principles is impressive
Gary hates disabled people who fly with service animals and loves sucking on Elon’s musk…. Why would we expect anything less of an overweight middle-aged white guy who is so bad at actual work that he became a blogger.
Okay, so please United Airlines please give us crappy WIFI because some of your Customers do not like Musk’s Politics and/or his attempts at humor that fell flat. Or maybe United can just put a disclaimer on their WIFI stating that it is Starlink and therefore they may not wish to use it on their flight.
Harris previously joked about assassinating Trump. On ABC, I believe. Anyone saying to boycott Musk should also boycott voting for Harris or watching ABC and ESPN or spending any money on Disney.
What @David P says…Musk is smart..have to wonder if he knew what he is saying and his “apology” is crafted to cover up his attempt at furthering political violence……@ common sense, amazing your lack of common sense …what does it matter that a man with millions of followers that hang on his every word makes comments that his more unhinged ones could prove to be a trigger? Really??…… I’m guessing you actually believe the election lie scam. Did you buy any of his NFT’s?
@WileyDog
have you SEEN the blue party’s top donor list? Even setting aside the weird contributions from the Crypto scammer, the Russian oligarchs, sketchy Eastern European billionaires, Chinese front companies…. it reads like the attendee list to the Allen Conference.
There’s only one party sucking up to billionaires— and it’s not Orange Julius’ party.
You know, the party of free speech suppression and demonization.
Why is it that if you offer support for a certain person or party you can be ostracized or worse. However if you support the “other guy” its all cool, rainbows and Lollipops . I hope we can end this division created and promoted by the blue side.
Lol, you guys are really into the leftist propaganda cloud. For the record, I do not like Trump and have never donated to him or purchased any of his digital scammy fundraising things. But you have to be crazy to keep on swallowing up all this censorship and selective sensationalism from the left. They are leading Americans down a much more dangerous path that Trump ever did.
Today I am learning that many people (Elon included) don’t know what a joke is. United shouldn’t bail on Starlink because Elon made a “bad joke”, they should bail on Starlink because Elon is regularly posting about deep state conspiracies and is a horribly unreliable business partner.
What the hell does Elon’s personal opinion or tweets have to do with my WiFi access on United? Completely irrelevant. This is patently obvious to anyone with a brain. Sheesh. Get over it folks. Stop the politicizing of everything. To think you are applying politics to United WiFi. So goddam stupid.
Why should an Airline be affiliated with a political party?
Does everyone who buys a product from China now align with communism.
The debate is ludicrous!!!
Don B I’m fascinated by people thinking the Democrats are responsible for the division in the country…… Trump is all about demonizing opponents and name calling like a two year old. Haven’t seen that from Harris to anywhere the same degree. Saying the left is guilty of the MAGA flame throwing rhetoric is kind of like when the news reports on one of Trumps lies, (no the election was not stolen) and MAGA folks say they are being biased…..there are not, they are reporting news that should be reported. If Harris lied like Trump they would report that too.
Mr. Musk would do well to remember the old saying: Open mouth; insert foot.
Gary, I believe that one can vote with his or her wallet. Not only disagree with Elon Musk politically, I do *strongly* as I find he frequently posts and/or says things I find abhorrent. THAT’S ME — I don’t expect anyone else to feel that way, nor do I try to convince anyone to feel the same way that I do.
I cancelled my Twitter account. I would NEVER buy a Tesla, nor would I rent one. Would I use Starlink? Well, if I was on United, I’d have no choice — but at least it would be free (to me).
But have I jumped up and down, shouting from the rooftops, for people to stop buying Teslas or cease using Twitter? No. That is up to them. I don’t run around publicizing my choices and/or points-of-view. If someone asks, I’ll offer up my opinions. Otherwise, I keep them to myself; it’s no one’s business.
Choosing Starlink for United is a great move. It will provide MUCH customer satisfaction and make people choose United.
United is unfortunately a “woke” company headquartered in the ruins of once great Chicago, and they should move away from that blue state yesterday. However, someone there is making good decisions.
People who trash Elon for not agreeing with their leftist views are to be dismissed.
Who?
This would be a far better comment section without the unhinged political commentary.
I’m with @Jason Brandt. Musk not only has gone from eccentric to insane but has increasingly demonstrated what a wretched person he is. I can’t see handing him money or support.
I love all the negative comments about Musk – yet these are the same people that have to problem flying Qatar/Emirates/Etihad and to lesser degrees Saudia or Oman. All of those countries have terrible human rights records. But hey, I guess as long as you get your caviar and can brag to all of your friends on social media that you fly for free for signing up for credit cards, who cares?
“Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its ragged edges.” Herman Melville
I have a simple rule. I’ve never had Ben & Jerry’s because I believe if I owned/fronted a company they’d boycott mine upon hearing my political stances. Similarly, I’ve never used a Trump product.
@James N – Interesting quote. Unfortunately, ol’ Leon left ragged edges a long way back. Now he’s making creepy overtures to Taylor Swift and commanding his people to write him an essay about why they should get the bonuses he promised them. And that’s only in the last week.
Seth is running for office? Please explain as I stopped following him years ago.
Come on Seth, I don’t like Musk either or the current candidate from the Republicans, but the corporate shaming is getting out of hand
What happened to the Hyperloop project?
@Christian…Just stating the obvious. Also, there’s a belief that all comedy has an element of truth.
@Dave – terrible human rights records in Qatar or the UAE? What the heck are you talking about? If there are a few incidents within the country, then you consider all of them to have “terrible human rights” problems? Stop listening to the stupid main stream media and wake up. There’s a reason why many foreigners love living in those countries. I’m guessing you have no experience living there. Kind of funny coming from you where it’s all about thinking on your own and free speech.
@ dhammer53 — NH State House of Representatives.
My Wifi while flying United (which is often because EWR is my primary airport) is going to be free, and significantly improved.
That’s all I care about.
There is no storm. Move on.
Musk speaks his mind and doesn’t cater to far left wokeness. United shouldn’t care about that, however. They should use what they seem to be the best internet provider for their needs.
I took Elon’s comment as more of an observational, tongue in cheek political jab against the Left.
Nothing more….
but in these troubled times there are simply too many weak, overly sensitive sheeple.
@Sam talk to the Australian women that were given forced gynecological exams at DOH before they could fly home. Look at how they all treat the construction workers from South Asia. There are plenty of examples, told and untold. I’m just pointing out that it’s funny to watch the hypocrisy of people chastising and threatening their flying with United for doing business with Musk, yet probably can’t wait to get into the Al Safwa lounge to drink unlimited vintage Champagne. Even more interesting if they are LGBTQConsider the Australian women who were subjected to forced gynecological exams at Doha before being allowed to fly home, or how construction workers from South Asia are often treated. There are countless stories, both shared and untold, highlighting these injustices.
It’s ironic to see people criticizing and threatening to boycott United for its association with Musk, yet these same individuals likely can’t wait to indulge in the Al Safwa lounge with unlimited vintage champagne. The hypocrisy becomes even more intriguing when LGBTQ travelers are involved, given the complexities of their situation.
For the record, I don’t rely on mainstream media. – that’s quite the quandary. And for the record, I don’t watch MSM.
Phil C
”I took Elon’s comment as more of an observational, tongue in cheek political jab against the Left.
Nothing more….
but in these troubled times there are simply too many weak, overly sensitive sheeple.’
‘Tongue in cheek’? At best, it’s in very poor taste, at worst, it’s .. much worse.
Personally, I wouldn’t boycott UA, but he most sensitive sheeple seem to be those following the cult of Trump or of Elon.
Musk is a very smart guy, he knew what he was doing when he appealed to his millions of followers, knowing full well his most unhinged might take the bait….he also he knew he could cover it up by saying he was “just kidding”…the classic passive aggressive bullying technique.
Musk was a leftie hero not too long ago…….and they still buy his Teslas.
If elected Musk has promised to brand his car the Trumpla in exchange for a cabinet post….”just kidding”!
Speaking of explosives, there is a likelihood that some of the Taiwanese-manufactured pagers brought into Lebanon by Hezbollah-linked buyers were on various commercial passenger flights and the explosives in them were missed by airport security screeners in at least a dozen countries. The explosives in the pagers were powerful enough to kill some people and would have been able to blast a hole in a plane. Richard Reid —aka wannabe shoe bomber — had nothing on Mossad’s pagers.
Billionaires shouldn’t exist. Not good for society when individuals have such outsized wealth and influence. Mr Musk should be handsomely rewarded for the EV and space innovation revolutions he started. But not billions. Mr Soros and other billionaires too, who’ve contributed far less or nothing at all in return for their wealth. Not good for society, nor for them actually.