American Airlines Wants You To Log On In-Flight

August 8, 2007

While American car rental service Avis has been offering WiFi for their customers for some time, logging on in-flight isn't an amenity most American travelers have been able to savor - until now. Just days after Virgin America showed off its new, tech-infused planes, AirCell, a provider of aviation communications systems, announced it will join forces with American to test its new system for providing on-board Internet access.

According to Reuters, American will test the service on its 767-200 aircraft, which mainly flies transcontinental routes. Apparently Boeing has halted the use of its Connexion unit, which allowed airlines to provide high-speed Internet service to passengers, because it was too expensive and customers didn't want to pay for the usage. According to AirCell, its system will be less expensive - likely $100,000 per plane or $10 per flight.

Source

10 Comments

katie10 5 years 40 weeks

This would make my flights so much more bearable!

intensebandgeek 5 years 40 weeks

Neat =)

intensebandgeek 5 years 40 weeks

Neat =)

tdamji 5 years 40 weeks

this would be better than those crappy behind seat monitors that never work and cut down on leg room.

améliore 5 years 40 weeks

Geek that I am, I have to wonder how it works. The linked source said they were essentially going to attach a hub to the outside of the plane. Oh man, and what happens if someone gets themself a virus/worm/trojan horse?