In-flight Internet arrives on Delta Air Lines

Following American Airlines and Virgin America, Delta Air Lines will become the latest airline to offer in-flight Internet service to its customers.
The airline, which recently merged with Northwest Airlines, will be offering the service through Aircell’s Gogo network starting today on select flights, Aircell has announced.
The service, which allows travelers to surf the Web, e-mail and instant message, will be available on flights between New York and Boston.
“The service will be complimentary,” said Jack Blumenstein, Aircell president and CEO. “People will be able to see, touch and feel it.”
The free service will be available through Dec. 31, after which the airline will charge $13 for a flight longer than three hours and $10 for shorter flights. The airline is expecting to have 10 aircraft equipped with the air-to-ground broadband network by the end of the year.
“In-flight Internet access is one of the most popular requests we receive from our customers,” Tim Mapes, Delta’s SVP of marketing, said in a statement. “Delta’s launch of Gogo onboard these first Delta aircraft demonstrates our continued commitment to providing our customers the options they want and value when they travel with us.”
Blumenstein said Delta is expected to equip 300 of its aircraft with Gogo next year and then move toward installing its Northwest fleet of 250 aircraft with Gogo. The certification process will start early next year.
So far, American Airlines and Virgin America have been offering in-flight Internet services to its customers with Gogo.
American Airlines was the first domestic airline to offer the service. The airline is offering the service on some transcontinental flights.
Virgin America has one aircraft equipped with the service and is expected to have a total of five by the end of the year, Blumenstein said.