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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
Comments? Suggestions? Is there something specific you want to read about?
Shoot us an email:
info@bearandbear.travel
|