United Airlines to offer Aircell’s Gogo wireless Internet service: Airline expects to launch in-flight Internet offering later this year

United Airlines has become the latest carrier to agree to offer Aircell L.L.C.’s Gogo in-flight Internet services to its passengers.
The airline will offer the air-to-ground broadband service in the second half of this year on some transcontinental flights between New York and California, Aircell announced today.
United’s deal with Aircell follows similar agreements the company has signed with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada and Virgin America.
Initially, the Internet service will be available on 13 Boeing 757 aircraft that fly between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
United and Aircell will rely on customer feedback to determine if the offering will be expanded to additional flights. United operates nearly 3,000 flights per day to 200 domestic and international destinations.
“We are investing in products and services that are most important to our customers, and having Wi-Fi access on board is something that they have told us is key to making their flights more productive and enjoyable,” Dennis Cary, United SVP and chief customer officer, said in a statement.
Blumenstein is expecting a big year for Aircell in 2009. The first airline to offer in-flight Internet service was American Airlines, which launched Gogo on some transcontinental flights last August. Virgin America launched the service on one of its planes last month. Air Canada and Delta are expected to launch their offering later this year. Passengers pay $13 for the service on flights longer than three hours and $10 for shorter flights.
Aircell is also expected to focus on gaining business from the private sector this year. Aircell secured the spectrum for its network when the company bid $31.3 million in 2006 for the 3-megahertz license as part of the 800 MHz auction held by the Federal Communications Commission.