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WIFI in the Skies

Internet access onboard commercial aircraft is becoming increasingly common. In fact, it has been since 2003 when Boeing launched the first onboard satellite based internet access. The reality is that passengers can connect to the internet via laptops or other portable devices at 40,000ft. This is quite an achievement, more so given the relative speed and reliability of services so far. This article will explain the onboard WIFI service and tell you which airlines have it and how much it costs.

Originally a subgroup of Boeing launched a serviced called Connexion by Boeing in 2003. This used satellite technology to provide internet access on board aircraft. After 9/11, US airlines dropped all interest in the service and it was forced to launch into the international market. This meant securing regulatory approval of every country which an aircraft flew over as well as a number of other challenges. Essentially, the lack of US demand for the product made it financially non-viable. The service was ended in 2006 but since then a few similar services have been established.

Going back on previous decisions, American Airlines and Delta Airlines have recently begun implementing onboard WIFI on domestic US flights. AA limited the service to Boeing 767-200 aircraft as a trial and is now slowly expanding to other aircraft. Delta went all in and began rolling it out on all domestic flights. United and Air Canada will be rolling the service out by 2010. The US domestic airline market is huge and only one regulatory approval is required (from the US government).

Compare this to Europe where dozens of countries could potentially be impacted and you can see how it may take some time for WIFI to appear again on international flights. The technology is sound and is nothing particularly new. A satellite on board beams data across leased bandwidth onto a series of ground stations. Optimum speed is around 20 Megabits per second download and 2 megabits per second upload, this is faster than many home broadband connections.

As the connection is satellite based, pings can be high so bad news for online gamers. VOIP services, such as Skype, are commonly disabled but not every service is properly disabled so it is still possible to use VOIP in many instances. The old argument that airlines wanted people to use their expensive jetphones is debatable – I’ve never actually seen anyone use one of these in over 24 years of flying! VOIP is disabled as airlines are still undecided about allowing so many loud voice conversations to be held in-flight.

Costs for the service depend on the airline but between $10-$20 is about average. It also varies depending on the length of usage. Even First and Business class passengers must pay for the privilege of using the service. Budget airlines are likely to charge for the service but they may possibly have ad-supported access options as well in future.

Either way, the next couple of years should prove exciting times for onboard WIFI. The following table shows which airlines are currently operating onboard WIFI and how much the service costs. Please check the airline website, through the links below, beforehand as pre-payment is sometimes required. The table also shows whether power sockets are available. For more information on in-flight power, see our article here.