Delta Plans In-Flight Wi-Fi on All Domestic Flights by Next Summer
Delta Air Lines today announced plans to offer in-flight Wi-Fi across its entire domestic fleet, using Aircell's Gogo platform. The service, which will cost between $9.95 and $12.95 depending on the length of the flight, will roll out gradually over the coming year, with full-fleet deployment (330 planes) expected by summer of 2009.
"Although Delta's announcement is the boldest yet by an airline, some analysts have questioned whether in-flight Wi-Fi will prove to be very popular as the U.S. economy sours and corporate travel budgets are tightened," warns Computerworld's Matt Hamblen.
Wi-Fi Net News' Glenn Fleishman is more optimistic. "Delta's announcement makes it clear that air-Fi is coming soon, and will likely change how business travelers plan trips," he writes. "If you can get productive work done during a flight, that changes the financial equation of the trip's cost, and your time out of the office."
More here from The Register … more here from InformationWeek … more here from CNET News … more here from Slyck News … more here from eWeek … more here from the WSJ … more here from Ubergizmo … and the press release is here.