Qatar Airways has done something that I never thought possible, mostly because I never saw a reason for it. The Doha based carrier hosted an eSports competition on a recent commercial flight which was made possible due to the carrier’s high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi.
Gaming in the Sky
Qatar Airways hosted the “Gaming in the Sky” competition on May 11, 2025 on a flight between Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) and London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR).
According to the airline, the flight brought together some of the world’s top video game players (though admittedly I have no clue who these people are) including Tfue, Castro1021, Lisa Zimouche, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Dantic, SV2, AJ3, Aameghessib, Danny Aarons, Ffearfful, MattHDGamer, and Slater. Ouissifooty served as the host for the competition with players split into two teams; Team Burgundy Oryx and Team Grey Aviators.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said this about the competition:
“At Qatar Airways, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the sky to deliver an in-flight experience that captures the imagination and makes you feel right at home. This competition represents a bold step into the future of passenger engagement and comfort when flying with Qatar Airways.”
Fans around the world were able to follow along with the competition as it was live streamed from aboard the aircraft. I would have to imagine with this many players and an announcer these folks were seated in a partitioned off portion of the cabin, likely in Business Class due to the QSuites configuration.
Starlink is Providing Passengers With Unparalleled Connectivity
We’re increasingly seeing airlines roll out fast, free Wi-Fi for passengers. While some are choosing Starlink and others are using different providers, we are no doubt becoming more connected to life on the ground when traveling. For some this may be a good thing but part of me worries that this will ruin the flying experience.
Recently my buddy Miguel, aka TravelSergeant, was able to make a FaceTime call onboard a Qatar Airways flight. While cool in the moment, I’d hate to see a world in which people are constantly yapping away on their phones when flying. An airplane is one of the last places in the world that you can avoid people loudly chatting away on a cell phone.
As we continue to become more connected, I wonder if we will see airlines put restrictions in place for what is allowed onboard to keep things enjoyable for all passengers on the flight. Maybe this is my old man yells at cloud moment but, I’d like to enjoy my champagne in peace!
Summary
Qatar Airways recently hosted an eSports competition on a flight between Doha and London. This event showcased the carrier’s new Starlink, high-speed, Wi-Fi and, while it is a cool idea for a one off promotion, I’m worried that increased connectivity onboard will spoil the experience for other passengers.
(Images courtesy Qatar Airways)