US airlines prepping in-flight internet access for next week
By Will Park on Saturday, December 8th, 2007 at 8:20 PM PST In Announcements, Services, Technologies
While in-flight mobile phone use in the US is likely grounded for the forseeable future, it looks like air-travelers will be able to get their airborne internet-fix soon. JetBlue Airways has announced that they’ll be trialling free internet access – email and instant messages – on Tuesday. The test-trial will only be offered on one of the airline’s aircraft, but that single airplane with internet access will be a much-welcomed change from traditionally data- and voice-free flights.
American Airlines, Virgin America, and Alaska Airlines will be launching their own fleet-wide internet-access services in the near term. The service will likely cost $10 per flight.
Virgin will give passengers access to email through their in-seat entertainment system, while other airlines will be offering WiFi connections in the cabin. Internet access will only be enabled while at cruising altitude – the service will be turned off while the plane is on the tarmac and during the take-off and landing phases of the flight (we wouldn’t want any fiery crashes just so little Jimmy can get his MySpace-fix, now would we?).
There’s no word on whether VoIP calls will be allowed, but here’s to hoping!
[Via: Computer World]
Cool. Eight years after Boeing announced internet for the cabin, JetBlue is offering email. And Virgin will charge $10 for this? Great!
Let’s hope the full WiFi from the others will be a reasonable $10, and not the crazy prices which doomed Boeing’s “Connexion” service.
Full WiFi is all I ask for. Strike that. REASONABLY priced WiFi is all I ask for. That and maybe some VoIP compatibility.
Would you prefer USB connectivity over WiFi in the plane? I can help…