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."

Comments

Had me until this line...

[explosivejared]

"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.

Re:Had me until this line...

[morgan_greywolf]

So remember, if you are passionate about a technology, do not declare this "the year of it," as you are only hurting it. Well, in that case I declare that 2008 will be the year of Vista on the desktop!

Re:No Voice?

[morgan_greywolf]

They could easily block ports commonly used for VoIP and/or VoIP proxies. In fact, they could make all Internet access go through a proxy server, just like they do in a corporate setting. This is getting to be increasingly common in hotel Internet access.

Re:No Voice?

[Asic Eng]

and how could they limit that?

By telling you "voice communication will not be allowed".

wouldn't it all be packets at that point?

Not at the point where you talk into the microphone. It's pretty easy to detect, and given just how annoying it is to sit next to a person talking into their cell phone ... it wouldn't take long for your seat neighbour would complain to the stewardess.

Re:Worst nightmare

[FinestLittleSpace]

I've always been interested why people have a bigger issue with people talking on the phone than talking to a friend on a plane/train.

Admittedly if it's loud, it's annoying, but what's so different about a phone than a face to face conversation?

Flying into the US

[PinkyDead]

"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."

Re:Worst nightmare

[porcupine8]

For the same reason that it's ok to talk to your seatmate but not to your friend sitting three rows away. You talk quietly to someone sitting right next to you, but for some reason many people seem to feel it's necessary to project into the phone inches from their mouth. I think it has something to do with the fact that cel phones, unlike receivers on traditional phones, don't actually reach to your mouth anymore, so people subconciously feel the need to make up for that - plus, of course, if your signal isn't so hot you might actually NEED to speak up. Either way, it's far louder and more annoying.