Virgin Atlantic becomes first UK airline certified to Friendly WiFi's Approved Standard

A major milestone for passenger safety and digital trust at 35,000 feet

Friendly WiFi is delighted to announce that Virgin Atlantic has become the first UK airline to achieve certification to the Friendly WiFi Approved Standard, marking a significant step forward in ensuring safe, trusted public connectivity for passengers.

The certification is now in place across Virgin Atlantic's new onboard connectivity service powered by Starlink, following the launch and ongoing deployment of the airline's next-generation inflight WiFi solution.

This milestone represents a major evolution in how passenger WiFi is delivered — combining high-speed, free connectivity with independently verified safeguards to protect users from harmful and inappropriate content.

Virgin Atlantic - setting a new standard for in-flight connectivity

As airlines continue to invest in next-generation onboard WiFi, expectations are shifting. Connectivity is no longer just about speed and access — it must also be safe, trusted, and responsibly delivered.

Friendly WiFi provides independent certification that appropriate content filtering is in place, helping to block access to pornography, child sexual abuse material, and other harmful content — while giving passengers visible reassurance through the recognised Friendly WiFi symbol.

This is particularly important in environments such as aircraft cabins, where:

• Families and children are a core part of the passenger demographic

• Passengers are in a shared, enclosed space

• Airlines are trusted global brands with a responsibility to uphold safe environments

  
  

A defining moment for the aviation sector

Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to certification signals a clear direction of travel for the aviation industry — one that aligns with increasing expectations around online safety, safeguarding, and brand responsibility.

As regulatory frameworks such as the Online Safety Act continue to shape expectations around digital environments, the move towards independently verified safe WiFi is becoming not just best practice — but a clear marker of leadership.

Beverley Smith, Director at Friendly WiFi added, “This is a landmark moment — not just for Friendly WiFi, but for the aviation industry as a whole.

Virgin Atlantic is setting a clear precedent that onboard connectivity must be both high-quality and responsibly delivered.

At 35,000 feet, passengers should have complete confidence that the environment they are in is safe — particularly for families and younger travellers.

By achieving certification, Virgin Atlantic is turning what is often invisible protection into visible reassurance, and leading the way for others to follow.”

Why this matters now

This announcement comes at a time when:

• Passenger expectations around safety and wellbeing are increasing

• Airlines are under greater scrutiny as global consumer-facing brands

• Connectivity is becoming a standard part of the travel experience

• Families expect safe digital environments wherever they connect

  
  

Virgin Atlantic’s certification demonstrates how airlines can proactively respond — combining innovation with accountability.

A call to the industry

This milestone sets a clear benchmark for the aviation sector.

As onboard connectivity becomes ubiquitous, ensuring it is independently verified as safe will become an essential part of delivering a trusted passenger experience.

Friendly WiFi is already working across transport, retail, and public environments — and now, with Virgin Atlantic leading the way in aviation, the opportunity is clear for other airlines to follow.

About Friendly WiFi

Friendly WiFi is the UK’s only independent public WiFi safety certification, providing verification that appropriate filtering is in place to block harmful content.

Developed in collaboration with government and industry, the standard helps organisations turn invisible protection into visible reassurance through certification and the Friendly WiFi symbol.