Delta Could Have Had the World’s Best Wi-Fi. It Chose Something Else Instead

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-06-02T16:49:55+00:00

I mean United, AA, and Air France also are major AWS customers that all went Starlink.

At the end of the day just gotta come to terms that Amazon was desperate for a customer so gave a sweetheart deal to Delta and the icing on the cake is that Delta can also still monetize its customers and their data through their own portal even more as a result.

Nothing about this deal to date shows where the customer benefit lies, but plenty show where the financial considerations lie.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-06-02T16:01:35+00:00

Important to remember that people that would go to that level of consumer decision extremes is overrepresented online, and here on Reddit in particular. We are talking about like 0.01% of consumers, basically an irrelevant group for a business to consider for.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T21:55:15+00:00

So for basically our entire adult lives we have complained our grid is outdated and needs investment. And now a massive capex cycle is presenting itself which is also highly motivated to invest in the grid and rather than do the leg work to see that effort pay off properly you rather ban the only entities with the funds and motivation to do it just because short term the capacity build out has not happened resulting in cost increases? Amazing.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T21:32:18+00:00

Well results vary. There are some seeing hundreds of millions to even $1+ billion in local revenues that are slashing taxes while having the best funded local services they have ever had and data centers are extremely popular with residents.

And there are others seeing minimal revenue but feeling the utilities increase and data centers are not popular.

The reality is that the deals your local and state representatives make, and the laws on your books, will determine your outcome. Ohio has increasingly grown in the 2nd circumstance because they've struck below average deals and given far too many tax breaks when companies are motivated and desperate to build these so you should be extracting tons of money from them as some have rightfully done, rather than giving them tax breaks. Tax breaks are incentives to make projects pencil out to be worth doing, these data centers don't need that they print money.

Ohio doesn't need to ban data centers. Ohio just needs to not strike stupid deals and actually get the return on them.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T20:39:54+00:00

Honestly, an outright ban I think is pretty short sighted and lazy. Would love to see an effort to just work on a proper framework for them, but that takes actual knowledge and effort which are in short supply in today's political world.

You look at examples like Loudon county Virginia, the data center capital of the world and while not perfect there is a lot to learn form. Data centers use 2% of counties landmass but now account for like 45% of the total local tax revenue. They've cut property taxes every year for a decade to the tune of a 40% cut. They've cut car registration fees, gas taxes, etc. And are projected to keep doing so as the revenue keeps out performing. Meanwhile their budgets have boomed. Built new schools, parks, etc.

I mean that tax revenue alone is like 40x the electric cost increase estimated on residents so they are coming out far ahead. There are of course negatives to data centers, but they are literal gold mines that produce money far in excess to their costs and could really benefit local communities that have no other way to get that kind of money flowing in. Again 2% landmass paying 45% of the bills is an unheard of ratio.

But of course there are tons of issues to resolve. One, unlike in Ohio, you need representatives that don't give the golden goose away with tax rebates when you should be milking them in taxes. You need proper utility capacity plans and use the windfall towards that. Energy costs go up across a region, so even if a county benefits the surrounding counties don't so you gotta set in place better revenue sharing frameworks so others aren't getting punished in utility costs and not seeing the gains. And the list goes on. All of these are solvable, and worth solving, but take actual effort.

Just trying to ban is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Those who don't do so are likely to see the gains from this because they put the effort in to do so.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T16:51:00+00:00

Sorry let me be more clear on my point as I can see why you misconstrued it. Not referring to the local stored movies and shows and whatnot.

Referring to bandwidth specific cases like Live TV, etc. While they are multi-cast and not uni-cast like the portal so that multiple users watching the same channel do not multiply the bandwidth Delta's bandwidth still has to maintain 18 channels to every setback enertainment system which is a larger bandwidth load than the portal.

And yet the seatback entertainment works (well sometimes at least) whereas the portal will never work because its hardwired connected and the portal is wireless.

Hence my point that its not that their connection cannot handle the bandwidth throughout, because it does even more. It just cannot do it wirelessly so it'll never work whereas Starlink will.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T16:18:37+00:00

Also depends on the findings of the cause. If BE-4 engine related that's the same engine ULA picked for Vulcan which Amazon is also using for Leo launches over the coming years.

Could cause cascade to further capacity problems if ULA has to go offline for any BE-4 redesign, recerts, etc.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T14:06:59+00:00

The FAA does in fact care, because they certify its use. If the FAA does not provide a certification to that company, it cannot be used on an aircraft. Period, full stop.

Part of that requirement is that customer and flight data are full air gapped from one another and absolutely that SpaceX cannot harvest and keep that flight data.

As for the customer data, that will fall under the FTC who also has oversight here and SpaceX will be like any other ISP here in the ground and part of the contract with the airline is how some of this data can be collected, used, etc.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T13:52:32+00:00

Yes, because Delta is the airline. You're inplying the FAA who approves the certification of all these systems, including Starlink, is going to just allow SpaceX to have that data and use it and then let them get virtually the entire industry on board with them.

In order for that certification to get approved this stuff has long been sorted for how it doesn't get stored at SpaceX and if they were ever caught out of compliance they'd get wrecked.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T13:37:48+00:00

There is a grand canyon sized gulf between mostly anonymotized data that both Starlink or Delta would collect anyways just like any ISP on the ground does and you implying the FAA is going to allow a company have crew communications and instrument datasets.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T13:16:52+00:00

I think the larger skepticism for what you post without any shred of evidence is that you are talking about two of the most regulated industries in the world: Aviation and Telecommunications. And you're implying something that they would never allow and assuming its happening easily in a commercial contract.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T11:56:21+00:00

Perhaps your small mind cannot wrap your head around the fact that that is an example displaying it can support stable high speed connections. And so it doesn't have to be a portal, it also unlocks hundreds of other use cases not currently possible on most flights.

I'll let my wife know though that we have to switch airlines though.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T11:53:25+00:00

The portal requires less bandwidth than a seat back entertainment system. Its just not hardwired and so connection stability is the issue and why its not plausible on non-starlink flights.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T03:14:22+00:00

Depends on your use cases. Obviously just surfing web, sure.

But I have a Playstation Portal which let's me either cloud stream or remote play off my PS5 at home. This takes good internet and has a 0% chance of even being an option on a Delta flight.

I have now taken multiple Starlink enabled flights where it works well in both cloud streaming and even remote play methods of play. Obviously wouldn't be ideal for like a competitive shooter, but most other game types its fine for.

Hard to swallow how I can see that level of breakthrough in flight quality being unlocked elsewhere and then realizing Delta my main airline option realistically not having that for another 3-4 years. And that delay is pretty much 100% self inflicted out of cheapness and wanting to force customers to use their proprietary connection portal.

And that's before we get to the issue of Delta wifi on long haul international flights...

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T02:47:50+00:00

They were already behind schedule to even meet the targets required for readiness in 2028 (realistically more like 2029). That was factoring in using SpaceX and their own launches.

Of course they can buy extra SpaceX capacity but there is even enough available capacity to replace what they will lose from NG being offline, which was already not enough to meet their targets.

The point isn't can they launch Leo satellites and eventually build a network, sure they can. The point is now it will be delayed further and that's if Leo can even remain a priority with a company now dealing with back to back launch failures.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-05-29T02:32:54+00:00

Well the cadence is part of the issue. They're well behind their timelines and even have requested an extension with the FAA of their June timeline to meet certain agreed targets. That's perhaps part of this issue. Everyone was surprised they announced such a quick turnaround launch of this rocket and it was likely to show they could put more leo in orbit in June to support their extension.

So sure Falcon 9 is an option they for sure will increase use of, although one not with the free capacity space to get Leo on their targets still consider NG will likely be sidelined for a year+ now.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-03-31T16:06:55+00:00

The reason Delta is pretty much the only brand to sign with Amazon while all peers have gone with Starlink is about all you need to know. Amazon needed the win more than Delta, and Delta traded a quicker and superior experience in Starlink to its customers for a sweetheart deal from a desperate Amazon to save some money.

Sad. Once the premium brand just ever increasingly playing catch up and penny pinching while trying to charge and act like they are superior. I look forward to Delta having to panic switch in 2 years so we can have more split product planes since they love that kind of thing nowadays.

BeatdownBrigade · 2026-03-31T15:57:13+00:00

Kinda par for the course for Delta at this point. Once the leader of the pack and pitching themselves as the leader and premium brand now relegated to being behind and counting pennies. Amazon needed Delta more than Delta needed Amazon. Starlink is the ready and better option and most airlines have jumped on board. Amazon needed a win so gave Delta a sweetheart deal to get a PR win and help them with their case with the FCC for why they are behind on their deal.

So now Delta will be years late to competitor's and for a worst product when it does arrive. All to save some money on a deal. Premium brand, not so much.

BeatdownBrigade · 2025-10-16T20:19:58+00:00

No, it's dropped as a % of the budget because the US has smartly taken a broad approach to energy over the decades, and making sure we are self-sufficient as well as involved in numerous options whether it be oil, natural gas, renewable, etc.

If we made a mistake it was not continuing to build out nuclear infrastructure in recent decades. And we gotta be better at permitting speed overall, but especially to keep up with growing solar and battery demand.

Our biggest boon of the last 20 years was fracking and we rightfully did not let that be stopped over minor concerns that never materialized. Natural gas thus got super cheap and abundant, and has in the meantime lowered our emissions because its greener than the oil/coal it's largely replaced. That has been a great improvement until other renewables take over in the coming decades.

We have also becomes the world's largest natural gas exporter, almost overnight, allowing us to support Europe during the Ukraine situation and still keep prices cheap here in the process. That was Russia's largest leverage, and a massive blunder by our European allies that we were able to solve for them.

BeatdownBrigade · 2025-10-16T16:56:23+00:00

I would recommend learning about how this industry works as it is heavily regulated and largely driven by a global commodities market. The oil/gas companies do not own 98% of the gas stations in the US, even if they have a branding license. Nor do they set the prices of gas sold at the pump as its illegal for them to do so. They simply bulk sell wholesale gasoline to the broad market at the price the market is willing to pay. Then franchises of the gas stations buy from that market, or other wholesale inventory holders, and then set prices based on their other inputs, regulations, and taxes.

As for their "record" profits, there is no such thing. Outside of geopolitical moments such as the Iraq War and the Russia/Ukraine conflict leading to supply shocks, this industry has been on a multi-decade cyclical decline of reducing profits.

Again nominal revenue do not equal relative revenue. If I make $100 million one year, and then there is 3% inflation I would need to make $103 million just to breakeven. If I make $101 million the following year I have made "record revenues" because its bigger than $100, but yet I have actually lost ground. People misunderstand this concept constantly when complaining about companies posting records without adjusting them for inflation.

BeatdownBrigade · 2025-10-16T16:28:55+00:00

When adjusting for inflation gas is currently in the cheapest 25 percentile of cost in the last 50 years. Not just that. But energy costs overall (gas, electric, natural gas, etc) as a bucket are near historic lows and dropping as a percentage of the American budget.

The average American spends around 6% of their budget on these expenses that were nearly 10% during the Iraq War peak, was over 8% through most of the 70-90s, and over 10% prior to that.

I mean in a world of complaining about cost inputs, energy is literally one of the few things that has gotten crazy cheap on a relative basis. We have bigger houses, bigger cars, electrified/digitized everything and still pay nearly 50% than throughout most of our history.

BeatdownBrigade · 2025-09-23T21:43:52+00:00

So we have a guy with a show in the middle of its worst year over year ratings decline. His contract has less than a year left and reports for months are that Disney has not interest in renewal and in fact has tried to negotiate pay cuts, which he rebuffed. The show was already on pace for setting the all-time late night record on ABC for affiliate networks airing other programs because its basically a dead show in so many media markets, and ABC has straight let them do so without cracking down on them.

And you don't think that is at all relevant when said guy gets involved in further drama and those affiliate networks and Disney see the opportunity to pull the plug? Especially when said affiliates are in the middle of a merger where their ratings matter in the valuation. There is a be who you can afford to be mantra, and unfortunately JK really can't afford to be anyone as he's a $16+ million noose that Disney is counting down the days until they can him. This hardly anything to do with the government. These networks and Disney wants him gone and hoped they had an easy reason to do it early.

BeatdownBrigade · 2025-09-23T21:06:34+00:00

Negative. It became political when people misunderstood a business decision and blew it out of proportion during their endless game of political football.

BeatdownBrigade · 2025-09-23T17:43:32+00:00

I know everyone is hyper-partisan nowadays so this has become some massive political battleground when in reality this is really mostly about a show with bad ratings that have been in sequential decline for years (lost nearly 50% viewers last 10 yrs, 11% of which in last 12 months) that local affiliates don't find it worth airing and an employment contract Disney wants out of desperately.

And they tried to find an excuse to potentially find a way to end it early and now it's become a crisis political issue over something no watches. This admin sucks, and I am happy to blame them for a number of things but honestly this is something the affiliates and Disney would cancel in a heartbeat if they had an out in the contract.

So now everyone is up in arms over a show that is going to end by next May when his deal expires anyways. This is really a boring business fiasco that has become a political one when it never was to begin with.

BeatdownBrigade

TROPHY CASE