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Delta to Provide Wi-Fi on Domestic Flights

Sagittarius   on 05 August 2008 - 23:55 · 20 comments & 8979 views

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Delta Air Lines announced today in a press release that it will soon start rolling out broadband Wi-Fi access for its entire domestic mainline fleet of more than 330 planes. The access, which is provided courtesy of a partnership with Aircell, will cost $9.95 on flights of three hours or less and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours. The first planes to have access will be Delta's 133 MD88/90 planes, with coverage expanding to the rest of the fleet early next year.

"Delta remains committed to providing a travel experience that maximizes the time our customers spend with us onboard by offering them even more productivity options...Beginning this fall, our passengers will have the ability to stay connected when they travel with us throughout the continental United States," said Richard Anderson, Delta's chief executive officer.

The move comes after American Airlines began demoing its own in-flight internet access last month; Virgin American, JetBlue, and US Airways also have announced similar plans. However, Delta, who's pricing mirrors that of American's, is clearly pursuing the most aggressive rollout policy of the four companies involved: American only expects to have Wi-Fi in 15 domestic planes, and JetBlue has yet to announce any widespread plans.

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(2 replies) #1 perochan on 06 Aug 2008 - 00:21
nice. what about a/c plug? we need that to stay connected!
#1.1 PermaSt0ne on 06 Aug 2008 - 11:08
many planes have power connectors built in for laptops already
#1.2 Volatile on 06 Aug 2008 - 11:28
you can use an airplane adapter. I actually have about 200 of them not being used at work that we got with every laptop.
#2 portauthority on 06 Aug 2008 - 01:30
I hope this doesn't flop like Connexion did
(1 reply) #3 +Troll on 06 Aug 2008 - 02:37
I always wonder what they will consider broadband to be...

A move in the right direction, as the FCC ban of electronic devices on planes is archaic in the first place. Listening to music on an iPod does not interfere with the controls in the cockpit...

The price does seem a bit steep, but I'm not sure what the initial costs will be to the airlines that need to be offset.
#3.1 Xilo on 06 Aug 2008 - 04:34
(Troll said @ #3)
I always wonder what they will consider broadband to be...

A move in the right direction, as the FCC ban of electronic devices on planes is archaic in the first place. Listening to music on an iPod does not interfere with the controls in the cockpit...

The price does seem a bit steep, but I'm not sure what the initial costs will be to the airlines that need to be offset.

Iirc, the only reason they still do that bull**** with takeoff/landing is because most airplane accidents and problems happen in takingoff/landing. Don't want you to be tied up with electronics while the plane is dieing.
(3 replies) #4 CounterStrikeSourceAddict on 06 Aug 2008 - 06:32
inflight porn surfing insues....
#4.1 s3n4te on 06 Aug 2008 - 07:30
^anyone needing to watch porn that often needs a psychiatric assessment.
#4.2 Burst404 on 06 Aug 2008 - 15:25
^ Sign me up, then.
#4.3 Magallanes on 06 Aug 2008 - 20:48
(s3n4te said @ #4.1)
^anyone needing to watch porn that often needs a psychiatric assessment.


anyone NOT needing to watch porn that often needs a psychiatric assessment or you are too young or too old.

#5 Ficman on 06 Aug 2008 - 10:03
#6 Volatile on 06 Aug 2008 - 11:29
I don't see myself using this technology. Airplane is the time for local gaming or music.
#7 xp1ode on 06 Aug 2008 - 13:08
I guess they need new incentives for people to fly nationally now that they are charging for every thing. Is a nicety but i doubt i will every use it. I pretty much cut down my flying times from twice a year to MAYBE once a year because of the prices. Good luck to Delta it would be nice if all the airlines did this and for free, but is not a "push" for me to fly like i use to.
(2 replies) #8 Burst404 on 06 Aug 2008 - 15:23
Wait, we're not allowed to use our cellphone, but we can browse the web?
#8.1 cykosis on 06 Aug 2008 - 16:39
I'd rather have people browsing the web than listen to them on the phone all flight.
#8.2 s3n4te on 07 Aug 2008 - 00:23
VOIP!
#9 sweetsam on 06 Aug 2008 - 17:26
How about voice chat ? I can't imagine having to hear people chatter throughout the flight. Imagine a really loud person speaking in a language you don't understand for hours together while you have nowhere to go. What a nightmare that would be !
#10 SleeStak on 06 Aug 2008 - 20:15
ticket + check in bag extra fee + drink extra fee + snack/food extra fee + and now a Wi-fi fee = I guess I will have to carry 500$ cash with me the next time I fly for all the extra "services"
(1 reply) #11 Homestarnnr on 07 Aug 2008 - 02:20
Wow, just wow. Exactly who needs WiFi and cellular phone service on a plane? I can imagine only one scenario involving world leaders and a nuclear missile crisis. I can see them needing such things to conduct emergency diplomacy en route to a summit or something. Just how important are you that your business would go bankrupt or personal life cease to exist from lack of mobile internet for four or five hours? The money spent on this could easily have been used to keep them from charging $25-50 for checked baggage.
#11.1 pjak on 07 Aug 2008 - 02:33
entertainment - flights are just too boring. plus, as stated previously airlines like to increase the amount of fee types not reduce them...

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