Inflight Internet

Inflight internet is one of the most anticipated technological advances of the past decade. While on demand movies, music, and games have long been a part of the flying experience, free in flight Wifi is something many people doubted would happen anytime soon, but it July 2008, Internet on airplanes became a reality when American Airlines offered the service on some of their cross-country flights. The arrival of inflight Internet is a controversial one however, as some people, even business travelers, preferred to be unreachable during a flight, but overall, it's been popular among travelers planning both business trips and vacations.

Free in flight Wifi has spread since July 2008. Other airlines have jumped on the bandwagon, in an effort to stay competitive with American Airlines regarding in flight services. In August 2008, Delta Airlines announced they would install the service. In 2009, Airtran, United Airlines, Continental, and Air Canada all announced that they would offer Internet on airplanes in some capacity. In 2010, Alaska Airlines and US Airways made a similar announcement. Virgin America offers inflight internet to all passengers, and Southwest is testing wifi-enabled planes on some routes. While many travelers know that the service is now available, they don’t know much about the company behind it.

Gogo Inflight Internet is offered by a company called Aircell, which allows customers to connect to cell towers on land. The in flight broadband is compared to a cell phone’s surfing speed, or a slow at-home DSL connection. In 2008, when the first tests were run, the only complaint was a lag of service between towers. In total, Aircell operates 92 towers in the US, Mexico, and Canada as well as towers that are located up to 300 miles off shore. These towers are designed to point their signal up to the sky, and the signal is picked up by a receiver on the belly of the plane. From there, customers connect to a Wifi signal.

As of 2010, free in flight Wifi was still in its infancy. Many airlines are promising that all domestic flights will offer Wifi by a certain date, while others plan to offer the service only on certain routes. Travelers shouldn’t jump for joy just yet though—not all airlines are planning on offering the service for free. As more and more travelers, especially business travelers, become reliant on the Internet, airlines see this service as a potential for revenue, especially during a time when profits for air travel are down. Not all tickets will include access to Internet on airplanes in the cost of the airfare, similar to hotels that offer Wifi for a fee. Free in-flight internet can be found with coupons and special travel deals, but upgrading your seat before a flight, and sometimes during in-flight promotions on certain airlines; it all depends on the deals and airline regulations.

Despite decisions on fees, itineraries, and more inflight Internet is a serious step forward for technology and travel. Not only can you check e-mails and surf the web, but you can also watch your favorite sports team play live games or find out about the top travel destinations in whatever country or city you're heading to. Frequent travelers who plan on using the service often can purchase unlimited monthly access or bundles for access. Each individual airline will have its own policies regarding inflight Internet, so it is best to do your research at the time of making a reservation. No longer do the hours of a flight have to be lost hours for business travelers.