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Viewing Airlines Soon to Offer In-Flight Broadband InternetAirlines Soon to Offer In-Flight Broadband Internet
By Tina Halford
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The power and reach of broadband Internet is coming to the air, and it is coming fast. Air companies across the globe are racing to provide this high-demand service to their passengers. No longer will we be restricted isolation high in the clouds. The power and reach of broadband Internet is coming to the air, and it is coming fast. Airlines across the globe are racing to provide this high-demand service to their passengers. No longer will we be restricted to watching looped movies on tiny screens, to the isolation we have grown accustomed to as we bank high into the clouds. In our online, hyper-connected world, the precious time we waste sleeping in the sky is set to become outdated. We want Web access at anytime and anywhere; we need our indispensable information flow from email accounts, breaking news sites, social networking, and the encyclopedic wealth of facts and details that abound on the Net. Some prominent global airlines are stepping up to this challenge, promising unparalleled access from take-off to touchdown. Here is TripMama's rundown of what is coming our way. American Airlines, with the help of recent partner, AirCell, is set to greet 2008 with a roll out of its first fleet of broadband-equipped Boeing 767s. The service promises to enable passengers to connect with 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi enabled devices, including laptops, Blackberrys, iPhones, and gaming handhelds. Designed with the power business user in mind, AirCell will support online meetings and VPN sessions to help optimize travel time. The service will initially be tested on intercontinental flights, but expect full U.S. coverage soon after. American Airlines is currently planning to charge for access, with pricing information being released closer to launch. On the other side of the globe, Australian-based airline Qantas is retrofitting their Boeing 747s with a premium economy class. The tickets are expected to cost about half of a business-class ticket, and come complete with laptop power sockets - and, you guessed it, WiFi. The new flight options start in early 2008, but if you can wait, the new Airbus A380s with USB and RJ45 ports as well as laptop power for all seats start service around August, 2008. For luxurious first-class passengers, there is also a 17-inch widescreen LCD. Qantas has also announced a trial of data access to Blackberries and other GSM devices, so those without a laptop can still stay connected. German powerhouse, Lufthansa, previously stepped into the broadband arena with Connexion, supplied by Boeing. After its unsuccessful run, the offer was scrapped. Lufthansa is now teaming up with T-Mobile to offer broadband Internet access and wireless e-mail to its long-haul passengers. The wireless equipped flights are proposed to begin in early 2008. Given Lufthansa's experience in this area, offering wireless previously on three quarters of its fleet, this is definitely one to watch. With offerings also on the horizon from Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Frontier Airlines, in-sky WiFi seems like an inevitable wave, one that we all can enjoy surfing. To find out more about these airlines, the news, or savings on flights, come to TripMama. About the Author: Tina Halford is a senior writer and journalist working with TripMama. She writes articles with special focus on the airlines discussion boards, besides sharing travel tips and nuggets on booking travel deals, hotels, tour packages and travel destinations. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com |
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