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Airlines to Offer In-Flight Internet Service
Ponca City, We Love You writes "JetBlue Airways will soon begin testing a free e-mail and instant messaging service on one aircraft, while American Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines plan to offer a broader Web experience in the coming months, probably priced at about $10 a flight. A recent survey found that 26 percent of leisure travelers would pay $10 for Internet access on a two-to-four-hour flight and 45 percent would pay that amount for a flight longer than four hours. The airlines plans to turn their planes into the equivalent of a wireless hot spot once the aircraft reaches its cruising altitude but service will not be available on takeoff and landing. While the technology could allow travelers to make phone calls over the Internet, most carriers say they have no plans to allow voice communications."
"most carriers say they have no plans to allow voice communications."
and how could they limit that? wouldn't it all be packets at that point?
Watch the Teaser Trailer for "The Lightning Thief" Her
FTA: "Many travelers find the prospect of phone calls much less palatable than having a seatmate quietly browsing e-mail."
Yes. Imagine sitting in the center seat between two obese passengers talking non-stop about things you don't want to know about.
What would you do?
What could you possibly do at that point?"I think 2008 is the year when we will finally start to see in-flight Internet access become available..."
Note to everyone, declaring this "the year of implementation x of tech y" automatically sets that tech back indefinitely. This is how this will work out now. The service will be used for years by technically elite fliers who rave over its superior stability when compared to ground based wi-fi. Then several years down the road a group with the motto "airline wifi for humans" will again attempt to make the year of "in-flight internet access", only to realize that the people are still reluctant to adopt it. It's a proven paradigm.
So remember, if you are passionate about a technology, do not declare this "the year of it," as you are only hurting it.
I got a catholic block.
Unrelated to in-flight internet service, but has anyone ever tried playing a flight simulator on a laptop while on a plane? I'd love to see how quickly you could get yourself kicked off by doing that. : p
This guy's the limit!
w00t a flying cyber cafe! Now we just need some starcraft CDs and a bunch of angry koreans to scream at each other
Yes, we'll see the first planes with this service in 2008. On lines that are heavily contested and where competition is high, so passengers will choose carrier X over Y because they can get internet access. Don't count on it being available on domestic flights where only one or two lines have already split the market up between them, or on lines that are overbooked anyway.
Not to mention that the first planes to be fitted with this will take off in 2008 (allegedly). That doesn't mean that every plane there is will suddenly become equipped with it. Usually, such things take a long, long time.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
...but I need a power source. I usually travel with my "lite" laptop, and a spare battery, but even that's not always enough. Some of my flights (ORD->BOM) last nearly 20 hours (with 1 stop, where I could theoretically recharge somewhere).
I don't mind paying upwards of $40 for a flight for web access, actually, but I'd assume few others would. Speed/latency isn't an issue, but I do wonder how well it would work over large bodies of water.
Some planes do have in-seat power. The Airbus A330-300 which I've flown to Europe many many times has in-seat power in coach. In fact, Lufthansa (Germany's national airline) had free wifi last year on their transatlantic Boeing jets. Not sure what happened to that service, but it was great...only problem was THOSE jets didn't have power. Just bring extra batteries for your laptop I suppose :)
"If at first you don't succeed, lower your standards."
...what about during waiting time on the ground at the gate after the door is shut or sitting on the taxiway? If not then, then they're missing a big opportunity to pacify some agitated customers.
Trekkie Monster was right! Can't wait for the first time a flight attendant has to ask a customer to stop surfing for porn.
"We are experiencing a little RIAA turbulence and so the Captain has turned on the no downloading sign. Please refrain from downloading anything until the airplane has come to a complete stop and you are safely within the terminal building."
Genesis 1:32 And God typed
We've been told that notebook computers with wireless internet and cellphones interfere with the avionics and are dangerous and must be kept off the entire flight. Now internet access from planes is O.K. What has changed?
Just asking.
-sb (dreading the horribly long flight across the Pacific he faces to go home for Christmas)
) This has been tried before - Lufthansa? United? Wasn't popular.
Actually, it was very popular on Lufthansa. The problem was that Boeing (owned Connexion) wasn't seeing much ROI across all the airlines and couldn't keep the service running for its limited deployment throughout the carriers. US airlines couldn't afford to install it, generally.
Call me when there's even enough room to open my laptop to a viewable angle.
You never expect irony, do you?
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If someone can just incorporate the following into a post:
- pr0n
- the phrase "...in their upright position before landing..."
that would be great, thanks.
Shiny. Let's be bad guys...