Free WIFI is available through January 15 on Virgin Airlines and at over 50 participating airports over the holidays. http://www.freeholidaywifi.com/
An article in Travel Weekly reports that In Flight WiFi remains a very desirable amenity for travelers but is causing some headaches for carriers as they navigate the maze of regulations involved in WiFi enabling of commercial aircraft:
Passengers’ growing appetite for electronic gadgets and WiFi access is creating problems for airlines eager to sate that appetite. The challenge lies in enforcing myriad company policies and federal laws covering wireless communications.
The good news is that in-flight broadband is such a powerful amenity we are virtually certain to see it very fully deployed eventually.
As airlines test and equip their planes for in-flight WiFi, they have to figure out how to catch people using prohibited devices (or approved devices at the wrong time) with no practical means of detecting radio-based technologies that can operate out of sight in briefcases, carry-on bags or even pockets.
Flight Delays? Bad meals? who cares as long as you have In-Flight Broadband, arguably the most important amenity an airline could ever offer.
American Airlines is testing the service now and unless they overprice it I think it’ll be a big winner, though in flight *power* is going to be a problem for many if the Airlines don’t take that into account as well.
Om Malik reports that Gogo will have broadband on some American and Virgin flights from San Francisco to NYC soon.
Gogo certainly deserves an award for the most overhyped intro clip in some time here:
http://www.gogoinflight.com/
In flight broadband is a great idea for business and perhaps student travelers and I’m looking forward to it but it’s not at all clear to me that most travelers will see enough benefit to fork over $10 per flight so they can pull the daily toll of work emails and spam or surf during the in flight movie. That said I’m rooting for ya Gogo!