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American Ushers in WiFi-Friendly Skies
We warned you months ago that in-flight WiFi was coming, and now it's here. This morning American Airlines launched airborne broadband service on 15 nonstop transcontinental flights, allowing passengers to send e-mail, chat by IM and browse the Internet at 36,000 feet. For $12.95, you can spend six hours surfing the web instead of watching a lame romantic comedy.
American and AirCell, the company responsible for the technology behind the system called GoGo, hailed it as a Great Day In History, with AirCell chief executive Blemenstein proclaiming, "today the days of being cut off from the rest of the world while in the air become history."
Sounds to us like a nice way of saying the last refuge from your boss has been breached.
American isn't the only airline jumping on the in-flight Internet bandwagon, which could bring cash-strapped carriers as much as $1 billion by 2012. Of course, the industry's been promising us for four years that we'd be able to read Autopia from six miles up, and some doubters went so far as to call airplanes "the last, possibly unconquerable, Internet frontier." Looks like that frontier's finally been conquered.
JetBlue reminds everyone that it offers limited WiFi through its LiveTV set-up and hopes its purchase of Verizon's Airfone network will expand the system's capabilities, but American is the first to bring full-on broadband to the sky. Delta plans to offer essentially the same service American's using, and Southwest is testing a system developed by the California company Row 44. Just about everyone else with an airworthy plane is scrambling to catch up.
Two technologies are fighting for airborne WiFi supremacy in the skies. The AirCell system American went with is an air-to-ground system that transmits signals from ground stations to airborne aircraft. Because it uses cell towers that are already built, it's relatively cheap but also ... buffering ... buffering ... a bit slow.
Satellite systems use a data transceiver/router, a satellite antenna and 802.11b access points. It works anywhere, including over water, but it's more expensive. When airlines are chucking beverage carts, getting rid of glasses and pulling magazines out of their planes to save money, you've got to think spending big money on wireless systems isn't something they're in a position to do.
Although the industry is racing to bring the World Wide Web to seat 17D, not everyone thinks it's worth the trouble. John Jackson, head of North American sales and marketing for Korean Airlines says the airline's test of on-board WiFi was met by a collective yawn. He suspects passengers on trans-oceanic slogs would rather sleep, read or even take a shower than waste time checking e-mail or updating their Facebook page.
Of course, airlines aren't offering these services just to be nice. At $12.95 a pop, American Airlines could rake in some big cash if onboard Internet is a success. For an industry charging two bucks for a Coke, it's no surprise that there's a profit motive involved.
Photo by Flickr user B3CFT/Andy Brockhurst.
i hope canadian airlines are pondering this idea. i mean it will take us years to finally get something even if they are.. but i remain hopeful
WAHOO! IN FLIGHT PORN!!!
I know I would dole out the $13 just to have something to do.... staying connected in this world is huge now-a-days. Beats a cheap movie or shotty food service anyday.
Peter Ha of CrunchGear is blogging from American Airlines' flight #3 right now and based on this comment, the Aircell Gogo service sounds pretty speedy:
"I'm currently watching Doug's review on YouTube and there’s no lag for a five-minute video."
I'm not a frequent flyer, but I don't see why the airlines set themselves up to nickle and dime their customers to death? $2 for coke, $13 for internet, $10 for extra bag, $10 for a meal, etc. etc. etc...
That just's more for the airline to track, monitor, and inventory. (wasting resources in the meantime)
Just raise the price of tickets $50 bucks and be done with it!!! Everything is free again! Including internet...
Everything "free" what a PR concept...
There is nothing friendly about:
A) flying. it sucks. and it aint safe in the least bit.
B) wi-fi. it also sucks and it also isnt safe.
So that great, now everyone can steal everyone else's data while on that 2 hour flight that takes 8 hours with travel to/fro the airport and luggage IF you get it back and finding your car IF it doesnt get stolen..
But, enjoy folks. Cause you just cant NOT instant message your friends for a day. Geez.
They don't raise the price because most passengers go for the absolute lowest price. If one is $50 cheaper then they probably get more business.
@Devon...that may be the case, but when I "hear" that an airline doesn't charge for extra baggage, has free drinks (water, juice, soda), and free internet service...I'm in. Who would you choose?
Yes, they might lose with the penny pinchers, but those folks will not be buying the drinks and internet to begin with...
I fail to see what the picture above has to do with the article, but I love it.
What airline are you flying that charges $2 for a Coke? Sodas are free all flights...
I love the fact that Cathay Pacific still offers free Cup Noodles...
Perhaps someone should have told Joe Brancatelli given his article yesterday 'Mile-High Internet Access Remains a Flight of Fancy'
Fail!
No planes I fly on have room or power for laptop. I guess I'm not a 'power passenger'. I do like to watch twits with 'carry-on' try an stuff them into a CRJ overhead. Pissing while bent over is fun too.
Is it me or when was it that you actually saw an airline *make* money?
And this from the airline that charges our military men and women for their luggage.
Heck, they should be flying FREE for what they do for this great country.
The higher priced tickets with everything included is what the airlines _were_ doing before they got strapped for cash. The reason they are charging for everything individually is a response to the changed market.
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In order for there to be a "Profit Motive," first there must be a profit. Since most Airlines are barely scraping by due to fuel costs, I would think charging for internet access is not unreasonable. If you don't like it, don't pay for it (that goes the same for your two-dollar Coke).