American, Lufthansa Adding In-Flight Wi-Fi

by Terrence O'Brien on August 4, 2007 at 11:59 AM

American Airlines and Lufthansa are the latest to jump on the in-flight Internet bandwagon. American Airlines has signed up with Aircell to start offering broadband access at 30,000 feet sometime next year. It will initially begin rolling out the service on trans-Atlantic flights on its fleet of 767s. Annoyingly, prices for the service were not announced yet, which is what we laptop-addicted users want to know.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa is working with T-Mobile to bring back Wi-Fi to its planes. The German airline previously offered Internet through Connexion, but the service failed because, surprisingly, not enough people were using it (and Boeing decided to stop footing the bill). Lufthansa will also be offering text messaging, e-mail, and data access for cell phones, but not phone calls. Lufthansa's service will be launching in 2008 as well.

From Engadget and Engadget

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Tags: aircell, airline, american airlines, AmericanAirlines, broadband, in flight, in-flight, InFlight, luthfansa, t-mobile, wi fi, wi-fi, WiFi

Comments

john guidonAug 4th 2007 3:02PM

Neutral

Aircell's limited test with American is not trans-Atlantic, as you state. While details are very vague, it will be constrained to the contiguous 48 states of the US, and perhaps not all of that. They cannot use their system over the oceans, because Aircell requires an extensive array of land based towers to reach each plane... By the way these towers do not yet exist, so I wouldn't get my hopes up for anything real soon. There are also questions regarding operation within 500 miles of the Canadian and Mexican borders.

Row 44 aims to beat Aircell into service. Our plans will be made public very shortly. We make use of the world's largest satellite ISP delivery service, to deliver true broadband to aircraft anywhere.

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Myron BementAug 6th 2007 5:29PM

Neutral

Any one and I mean any one that has to use a cell phone or an e-mail unit while driving or in the bathroom is not able to do the job they were hired for! THAT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOU !!!!

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Anna LindenAug 6th 2007 6:42PM

Neutral

If the practice is permitted there should be a section for those using the electronic equiptment, not in the middle seat or next to a regular sane passenger.

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Huber HanesSep 12th 2007 1:50AM

Neutral

Its a pity that the world's airlines still can't get it 'right'for passengers real needs..

Passengers want: a. comfortable accomodations
b. Good hot meals
c. service and refreshments.
d. Be: On Time
e. Collect all your bags and
exit the airport!

Haveing to worry about the Internet Access w/bells and whistles is a low priority. In the end -- passengers would have to pay for the Privilidge of haveing this system on board even if they didn't use it.

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mike larsonSep 12th 2007 10:54AM

Neutral

Huber, The airlines used to provide much of what you mentioned. Unfortunately it's a distant memory at this point. As a 40 year veteran of the airline industry I can tell you that the airlines would love to provide those things. The problem is that passengers dont want to pay for them. After deregulation passengers voted decisevly with their pocket books. They overwhelmingly took the cheapest seat available and the end result is the airlines provide exactly what the passengers pay for.

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MJZimmer88Sep 12th 2007 12:54PM

Neutral

Wow. You guys are all such downers. I'm excited. I'm absolutely sane, and I fully enjoy using the internet. It provides hours of entertainment, and since modern passengers tend to be growing in use of laptops (ie, all businessmen and anyone under the age of 30) there's no reason NOT to have internet access.

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FelixSep 15th 2007 7:36PM

Neutral

Can I book a flight with no internet or phone connection for privacy and confort during my fligth, or the plane will have a section on the plane with out anoyance.
Also can I pay extra to asure my suitcase will make it to my destination?

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Edwart ThainSep 29th 2007 12:48PM

Neutral

The many people that I have worked with over the years in pharmaceutical industry that are required to travel extensivly are truely addected to ipods, cell phones,lap tops and other technology that they really can't get away from for a couple of hours while flying. It's not their fault entirely, they work for people who reward them for their insanity. When I go to an airport and see many of these people hacking away at sone site report I feel sorry for them. Boy howdy if this crowd gets to hack and talk in the air whil bumping along at 30,000 feet we, the ones who have to listen to their nonsense will have to take alternatine transportation, like train's and buses. That is until these people jump omn the band wagon.Technology is like an insidious cancer.Be afraid, be very afraid.

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