3/19/2008 at 11:07 AM
Tags: Southwest Airlines, Row 44, Aircell, ATA (all tags)
Now that one low cost carrier has revealed its latest plans, it's time for Southwest to share some news. (God knows the carrier could use some good press.) While it's far from certain, at least one industry watcher thinks the airline could announce something big:
The new CEO of Global [which owns ATA] should be a familiar name. He's the ex-CFO of Southwest Airlines and ex-CEO of ATA: John Denison. And, as we all know, John is very close to current Southwest CEO Gary Kelly.
People tell us this afternoon that we could hear about what Southwest is going to do with ATA's international certificate in as little as 48 hours.
Hmmm... That was about 40 hours ago.
MORE...
by pbb
3/12/2008 at 9:45 AM
Tags: Aircell, American Airlines, Virgin America, In-Flight WiFi, Gogo (all tags)
American Airlines and Virgin America are racing to be the first US carrier to offer in-flight WiFi*, and they could both be online by this summer. The CEO of Aircell, the company outfitting the planes, says you should be flying out of SFO:
For the first six months, there will be more broadband-enabled flights out of San Francisco.
Aircell is marketing its service as Gogo for some reason, and the company's website indicates flights between JFK and both Miami and LA will have WiFi soon, too.
As for pricing, it's what we've heard before: $13 for a long flight and $10 for any trip under three hours.
* On more than one plane. JetBlue just wrote in to remind us that BetaBlue's been flying since December.
Related Stories:
· US In-flight Broadband Is A-gogo by Spring [GigaOm]
· Gogo [Official Site]
· Virgin America Announces In-Flight WiFi by 2008 [Jaunted]
· American Airlines to Test In-Flight WiFi [Jaunted]
by pbb
1/22/2008 at 3:50 PM
Tags: Aircell, American Airlines, In-Flight WiFi (all tags)
Let the real race for in-air Internet begin! Now that JetBlue is testing WiFi and Norwegian Air Shuttle is planning airborne cell phone service, American Airlines wants everyone to know that it's just installed WiFi on one of its planes. All 15 of the carrier's 767s will have web access no later than June 30.
The airline is working with Aircell, which operates a ground-based system, meaning you won't be able to get online over the ocean. But that's no big deal, as American's 767s usually operate on domestic transcontinental flights. For those flights--and any others longer than three hours--the cost will be $13. Access will be $10 on shorter flights, and subscription packages for frequent flyers are in the works.
We know he doesn't like ancillary charges, but we're waiting for American Airlines fan Peter Greenberg to liveblog one of his flights!
Related Stories:
· AA Will Be First To Offer In-Flight Internet [Dallas MN]
· American Airlines, Aircell Start Testing Internet [Marketwatch]
· In-flight WiFi coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Vincent®]
by pbb
9/13/2007 at 10:58 AM
Tags: Virgin America, In-Flight Entertainment, WiFi, Charles Ogilvie, AirCell (all tags)
Exclusive:
Virgin America will offer broadband internet service on its entire fleet starting sometime next year, the airline announced today. Passengers will be able to connect to the 'net either through the in-flight entertainment system or wirelessly through their personal devices. Among the online offerings: chatting on MSN, AIM, Yahoo and Google Talk--and Skype.
Virgin is developing the system with AirCell, the same company that's planning an in-flight internet service with American Airlines. Test flights on AA are set to start in 2008, which is when VA says its system will be online.
However, Virgin's versions is really shaping up to be very Airline 2.0, we would expect nothing less from our boy Charles Ogilvie. Here is part of what he told us this morning:
There will be many different products and services with our offering, not just Internet from your laptop. We are currently working on a suite of creative applications that extend Red (VA's in-flight entertainment). Yes, there will definitely be some things you can do for free--we will offer a tier of different choices.
Though Charles was not yet specific with regards to applications, or what exactly will be free, this Red thing sounds like it is shaping up to be a full blown application platform. Gotta be the first ever 35,000 foot API if they pull this off, right?
Stay tuned.
Related Stories:
· Virgin America coverage [Jaunted]
· In-Flight Entertainment coverage [Jaunted]
by pbb
