Sugababes gear up to perform live next week at 35,000 ft powered by Virgin Atlantic and Starlink Wi-Fi
Virgin Atlantic has announced a live performance from British girl group Sugababes at 35,000 ft, streamed globally in real-time via the company’s Instagram page using Starlink Wi-Fi on Tuesday 26th May at 8pm.
Taking place onboard an Airbus A350 in the airline’s upper class social space, The Loft, Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy will perform a selection of their biggest hits alongside a live Q&A, with fans able to submit questions and requests during the stream.
The performance is designed to demonstrate the power of Starlink’s high speed, low latency connectivity, which Virgin Atlantic is rolling out across its fleet. With speeds capable of supporting streaming, gaming, browsing and more across all cabins, the airline is aiming to fully connect its fleet by 2027.
Juha Jaervinen, Chief Customer Officer, Virgin Atlantic, comments: “This isn’t just about introducing Wi-Fi, it’s about showing what it can do. By livestreaming a performance from 35,000 ft, we’re demonstrating the power of Starlink to deliver a seamless, high quality connection in the air, just as our customers expect on the ground.”
“Sugababes are an iconic part of British culture, bringing generations together through their music, so they’re the perfect partners for a moment like this, connecting people in the air and on the ground in real-time. As we roll out Starlink Wi-Fi across our fleet, this is just the beginning of a more connected, more flexible onboard experience.”
The Sugababes says: “We always said the sky was the limit - turns out, it’s just the beginning! Taking live music to the skies and turning an airplane into a global stage is unlike anything we've ever done. The idea that fans around the world can experience it with us in real-time makes it even more surreal. We can’t wait to make history at 35,000 ft. See you above the clouds.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Social media will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
