Alaska Airlines Testing Out Wi-Fi on Planes

[strunke]

Alaska Airlines Testing Out Wi-Fi on Planes

SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines said Tuesday it will be the first U.S. carrier to test a satellite-based in-flight wireless Internet service next year and may equip its entire fleet.

There have been several moves across the industry to offer passengers Internet access while they're traveling.

Seattle-based Alaska plans to install Westlake Village, Calif.-based Row 44 Inc.'s broadband service on one Boeing 737 jet next spring.

Row 44's system is designed to work over water and across international borders.

Alaska Airlines said the service is intended to work on all its routes, which include flights within the lower 48 states and to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico.

If it works, Alaska may add the service to all 114 of its aircraft.

Customers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptops or smart phones, will connect to the system through wireless hotspots in the aircraft cabin.

A dome-shaped device mounted on top of the plane will house the antenna that receives and transmits satellite signals.

Alaska Airlines, the nation's ninth-largest carrier, is researching various pricing options, spokeswoman Amanda Tobin Bielawski said.

AMR Corp.'s American Airlines announced last month that it would test a high-speed air-to-ground Internet service on some of its Boeing 767 jets.

For that system, AirCell LLC said it would build cellular towers throughout the continental United States to transmit the broadband signals.

AirCell said American will charge a fee, and that details on pricing would not be announced until the service is ready to roll out.

About a year ago, Boeing Co. pulled the plug on a planned in-flight Internet service after it failed to sign on enough airlines. Called Connexion by Boeing, it offered high-speed in-flight Internet hookups via satellite that cost $10 for the first hour and $27 for 24 hours.

First announced in April 2000, Connexion suffered a major setback with potential U.S. airlines after the 2001 terrorist attacks triggered an industrywide downturn.

Boeing had deals with major international carriers such as Germany's Lufthansa AG, Japan Airlines Corp., Korean Air Co., and Singapore Airlines, but large U.S. carriers were reluctant to invest in the service.

FOXNews.com - Alaska Airlines Testing Out Wi-Fi on Planes - Technology News | News On Technology

[RJB]

OH yeah I hope this goes global would be so nice to have on a long flight.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by RJB

OH yeah I hope this goes global would be so nice to have on a long flight.

I agree. It would be cool to do a little web surfing and posting on WA...

[Andy]

Originally Posted by RJB

OH yeah I hope this goes global would be so nice to have on a long flight.

I completely agree- I would be so happy if I could "waste" some time online during my next flight overseas.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Andy

I completely agree- I would be so happy if I could "waste" some time online during my next flight overseas.

It beats watching the stupid movies they tend to show on long flights. Maybe it's just been my luck but every movie that's been available on a long flight I've taken has been a POS. Movies I wouldn't even rent if they were the last films on earth.

Airplane WiFi would be a good thing.

[RadioRaiders]

I talked to some guys from Boeing's Connexion in 2005 and they said they had installed a whole bunch of WiFi systems on planes. SAS, Singapore Airlines and a few others. But only offered on long-haul flights. I'm not sure why US airlies didn't catch on sooner?

Here's Boing's Connexion:
Boeing: Scandinavian Airlines and Connexion by Boeing Bring In-Flight Internet Access to Seattle Passengers


Here's some articles from 3-4 years ago talking about it:
Wireless Internet onboard Scandinavian Airlines

Singapore Airlines takes Wi-Fi in-flight - ZDNet UK

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by radioraiders

I talked to some guys from Boeing's Connexion in 2005 and they said they had installed a whole bunch of WiFi systems on planes. SAS, Singapore Airlines and a few others. But only offered on long-haul flights. I'm not sure why US airlines didn't catch on sooner?

Good question. Then again, we always tend to be the last in line when it comes to things like this...

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

It beats watching the stupid movies they tend to show on long flights. Maybe it's just been my luck but every movie that's been available on a long flight I've taken has been a POS. Movies I wouldn't even rent if they were the last films on earth.

Airplane WiFi would be a good thing.

Haha, you are right. I am just trying to think back at the movies I saw on my recent trip overseas and they must not have been very interesting either because I fell asleep, and I usually never sleep on airplanes!

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Andy

Haha, you are right. I am just trying to think back at the movies I saw on my recent trip overseas and they must not have been very interesting either because I fell asleep, and I usually never sleep on airplanes!

Thanks Andy!! My point about airplane movies is proven!