• Just like Twitter & Facebook, ‘Wi-Fi In The Sky’ is the way of the future.  I posed the following question to a few savvy travelers that are tops in their field and the answers might surprise you!
  
  JB: WiFi will become the new gold standard in airline cabins. What do you think of Wi-Fi in the sky and would you pay extra for it?

  I desperately want WiFi in the sky and would happily pay extra for it.
  Wendy Perrin, Consumer News Editor, Conde Nast Traveler

  WiFi in the sky in today’s age is inevitable and, therefore, will become the gold standard for better or worse.  At least it is not people talking endlessly on cell phones.
  Alistair Ballantine, Vice President, Orient-Express Travel, Inc.

  
  I can’t wait for more WiFi and, yes, I’d pay extra for it.  While I’ve always enjoyed the down time flying gives me, I like to have the option of staying in touch or catching up on my work emails.  I get tired of typing with my thumbs on my Blackberry.  I am not looking forward to cell phones in the sky, however, but that is another story.
  Ruthanne Terrero, Vice-President-Content/Editorial Director, The Travel Group

  From a business perspective, I think it is crucial-especially on long haul flights.  When I get to a destination, I like to concentrate on the reason I am there and not have to be glued to the Blackberry to catch up from missed time on the flight.  The ability to stay connected to the office while flying makes me more productive and allows me to be better focused on the business at hand once I land. For this-I would gladly pay extra.  I am not in support of cell phone usage on planes and I actually think WiFi is a better solution anyway.
  Scott Wiseman, President, Abercrombie & Kent, Inc.

  Personally,  I don’t love the idea of WiFi in the sky.  Currently, it is the only time that people can truly escape and the only time I have to myself.  I would not pay extra for it unless I had something urgent that I needed to get done.
  Katie Wibling, Director of Sales, East Coast, Montage Beverly Hills

  WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

  Wi-Fi in the sky...an inflight Domestic Guide
  Airline	Rate	Seatback video system/ live satellite tv	What's coming
  American	Hand-held devices-$7.95 (no time limit) Laptop-$9.95 less than 3hrs, $12.95 for 3hrs or more	Business and First class only on select flights	All MD80 aircraft in U.S. will be outfitted with Wi-Fi in all classes of service
  Continental	Hand-held devices/laptops: $6 (no time limit)	Satellite TV seatbacks in all classes of service on: B737-700/800/900 and 757-300 aircraft	Implementation of satellite TV on all aircraft
  Delta	Hand-held devices-$7.95 (no time limit) Laptop-$9.95 less than 3hrs, $12.95 for 3hrs or more Wi-Fi in First Class is complimentary	Satellite TV seatbacks available on most transcontinental flights from east to west	Refitting all aircraft with Satellite TV seatbacks
  Jetblue	Complimentary 'BetaBlue'  Wi-Fi on A320 aircraft only (transcontinental flight)	''Direct TV' Satellite TV seatbacks on every flight , every seat	Implementation of 'BetaBlue' Wi-Fi on all aircraft
  Southwest	No Wi-Fi	No Satellite TV seatbacks	No idea!
  United	Currently, no Wi-Fi When it comes on-board(!) rate will be a flat $12.95 fee for all devices	Satellite TV seatbacks in all 3 cabin 767 and 777 aircraft	Implementation of Wi-Fi on JFK-LA and JFK-San Francisco aircraft.  Refitting all aircraft with 7 inch touch screen TVs
  US Airways	Currently, no Wi-Fi	'Video on demand' Satellite TV seatbacks on A330/B757 and B767 transatlantic aircraft	Implementation of Wi-Fi
  Virgin America	Hand-held devices-$7.95 (no time limit) Laptop-$9.95 less than 3hrs, $12.95 for 3hrs or more. Virgin America was the 1st airline to offer fleetwide Wi-Fi	Satellite TV seatbacks offered on every flight, every seat	What's left!?

  
  How does Wi-Fi ‘in the sky’ work?
  Gogo is the company servicing any airline that is equipped for Wi-Fi.

  There are air cells on the ground throughout the US and the signals go skyward.  The plane is outfitted to catch these signals.  The service is not offered internationally because the cell towers do not exist yet.

  What devices can you use?
  Any laptop or the following hand-held devices: Apple iphone & iphone 3G, Apple ipod touch, Blackberry 8820, AT&T Tilt, T-Mobile Dash, Mogul by HTC, Nokia N95, Samsung SCH-i760, T-Mobile Wing, Alltel PPC6800, Palm Treo 800w.  Make sure they are all Wi-Fi enabled.

  How do you get connected and pay?
  Turn on your Wi-Fi, connect to the ‘Gogoinflight’ signal, sign up and give credit card details for payment.

  
   

  Contact Bear & Bear for details
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