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American Airlines To Offer Wi-Fi In Planes

Posted by timothy on from the new-kernel-perfect-for-sharing dept.

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.

4 of 303 comments (clear)

  1. Please turn on your electronics? by Culture20 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...we need the cash.

    1. Re:Please turn on your electronics? by Spazztastic · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I've just stopped going to America.

      Good solution, because we're the only country to spy on their own citizens or internet users.

      --
      Posts not to be taken literally. Almost everything is sarcasm.
  2. Re:DANGER DANGER by bws111 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't recall the FAA ever saying that electronic devices WILL cause a crash, only that the planes have not been certified with the devices. So, if you have not done the certification testing (expensive), the prudent thing to do is say don't use the devices. Since, as you pointed out, they can make money on it now, it makes sense to spend the money on the certifications and allow some devices.

    Also, while the FAA is concerned about cell phones for the same reason as above, the FCC is more concerned. Having thousands of cell phones hop from tower to tower at 500 MPH is not something the system was designed to do.

    Not everything is some conspiracy to infringe on your rights.

  3. Southwest's test program speeds by randomchicagomac · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I was on a Southwest flight that was testing this out about a month ago, where it was free for passengers. I ran speakeasy's speed test on it, http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ , and got about 3000 kbps down, and something like 200 kbps up. I ran the test about five minutes after they announced that we could use the service, and it seemed like more than half the people on the plane had laptops out and were playing with the service, even though none of us knew that the service would be available until we got on the plane.