Delta Air Lines Becomes First to Offer Wi-Fi on All U.S. Flights
By Suzanne Marta, The Dallas Morning News
Aug. 5–Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines said Tuesday that it plans to offer a Wi-Fi network across its 330 mainline domestic fleet by mid-2009.
It would be the first U.S. carrier to offer the broadband service across its network.
The carrier would use Aircell LLC’s Gogo service, the same provider signed by Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc.
“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,” said Richard Anderson, Delta’s chief executive.
American has installed the technology on its fleet of 15 Boeing 767s, but hasn’t yet begun offering the fee service to customers. The carrier did a live test of the service in June, but said recently that it was still making some adjustments.
Delta said that its Gogo service would be available for a flat fee of $9.95 on flights of three hours or less, and $12.95 on longer flights. Gogo allows with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs to surf the Web, check e-mail, Instant Message and access their corporate VPN.
Gogo will not enable voice-based functions.
Similar to the service planned by American, Gogo includes free access to some online content from The Wall Street Journal and Frommer’s.
Aircell uses a system of ground-based towers, so it would not be available on international flights.
This fall, Delta plans to offer Gogo on its fleet of 133 MD-88/90 aircraft, and will expand it to the rest of its mainline fleet during the first half of 2009.
Inflight broadband service is seen by carriers as a chance to generate incremental renveue as the industry battles record fuel prices.
JetBlue Airways Corp. has tested a different system that enables e-mail and text messaging only, and Virgin America Inc. is expected to test Gogo throughout its fleet later this summer or in early fall.
Southwest Airlines Co. and Alaska Air Group’s Alaska Airlines are expected to test a satellite-based system by Row 44 Inc. this summer.
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