Alaska Airlines to Test Wi-FI

Filed in archive Aviation Travel on September 25, 2007

Not all airlines are created equal. And as they realized that people truly have a choice when they fly, they are taking measures to ensure they supply their passengers with the amenities and luxuries that separate them from the pack. A few weeks ago, Australian's Qantas Airways announced they were actively pursuing a way to cut unenvironmentally-friendly carbon emissions. Now, according to Yahoo! news article, Alaska Airways is planning on testing Wi-Fi on all of their 114 airlines.

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 ranging from free service for some passengers to a day pass, spokeswoman Amanda Tobin Bielawski said.

In August, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines announced 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 its in-flight Internet service after it failed to sign on enough airlines.

The broadband service, called Connexion by Boeing, offered high-speed in-flight Internet hookups via satellite that cost $10 for the first hour, or $27 for 24 hours.