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American Airlines To Offer Wi-Fi In Planes
Firmafest writes "In USA Today there's a scoop that American Airlines will offer Wi-Fi on domestic flights. Price is approx. $10 to get connected. Being a frequent international flyer I hope this will catch on. The LA Times reports that the cost is about $100,000 to equip a plane. While that number seems high, it will probably be worth it. If I had a choice between two flights both equally good, I'd pick the Wi-Fi enabled one." The article also says that JetBlue and Southwest Airlines are at least experimenting with Wi-Fi access aboard, while Delta already offers it.
Virgin america also has WiFi on at least some of their flights.
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Interestingly enough, Connexion was a partnership between Boeing, American, United and Delta airlines. I wonder what has changed...
Connexion was primarily on international flights, and used satellites. It was a lot more expensive to install ($500,000 per plane) and significantly more expensive to use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connexion_by_Boeing
no cell phones on planes is an FCC mandate, not an FAA mandate:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cellonplanes.html
"Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules prohibit the use of cellular phones using the 800 MHz frequency and other wireless devices on airborne aircraft. This ban was put in place because of potential interference to wireless networks on the ground. "
They tested an old busted up plane (IIRC they installed the instruments themselves even) and by turning the cellphone output up way high they were able to have some effect.
Then they tested a real plane and even ramping up the signal to max they were able to have no effect. At all.
The conclusion at the end had more to do with not getting in trouble with the FAA than the actual results.