Wi-Fi in the Sky

In December 2007, JetBlue Airways began offering “free e-mail and instant-messaging service” on one of its aircraft, writes The New York Times. In the coming months, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Virgin America will try to provide more extensive broadband services.

The Wi-Fi service will not allow the use of cell phones because the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration still prohibit their use in the United States. The European Union, however, recently approved cell phone use on airplanes.

A Forrester Research survey indicated that “55 percent of travelers on flights of four hours or more said they would be interested in paying for in-flight wireless access,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

As the use of Wi-Fi on airplanes is still in its early stages, connection speeds may not be as fast as many passengers are accustomed to, although the speeds vary depending on the service used by the airline.

But in a few years Internet service on airplanes should become commonplace and expected, according to Henry Harteveldt, an analyst with Forrester Research.

The notion that Internet access in the sky may become so ordinary is worrisome to some people. Al Sacco, a blogger on mobile and wireless issues, pleads, “Can't I just disconnect for a few minutes each day? Is that really too much to ask?”

Blogger Tim Lee expressed more hope on the site Techdirt, suggesting that business travelers will benefit from the new technology and “airlines that permit calls will be more profitable.”

"The basis for all of this is the understanding that we have a captive audience at 35,000 feet who want more than just the experience of watching the seat in front of them," said Charles Ogilvie, Virgin America's director of in-flight entertainment and partnerships.

The New York Times examined the issue in December 2007 when airlines began testing the possibility of Internet on planes. Henry Harteveldt, an analyst with Forrester Research, said, “In a few years time … if you get on a flight that doesn’t have Internet access, it will be like walking into a hotel room that doesn’t have TV.”

An April 9, 2008 article from findingDulcinea reported that the European Union approved the use of cell phones in airplanes. But airlines like Lufthansa will continue to disallow cell phone use, partly because "People don't want to be disturbed," according to Lufthansa spokesperson Jan Baerwalde.

An aviation safety database shows that pilots report “a handful of incidents each year” when cell phones or other electronic equipment could have caused problems during flight, according to the television show “20/20.”

Several members of Congress have introduced a bill that would ban passengers from talking on cell phones during U.S. flights, should that technology become available.

Al Sacco, a blogger on mobile and wireless issues, is cautious about the ubiquity of Wi-Fi. “The way I see it, being surrounded by so many people buried in their devices is contagious; my mind goes right back to work and then I’m firing up my BlackBerry or laptop too,” writes Sacco. “Can't I just disconnect for a few minutes each day? Is that really too much to ask?”

In a December 2007 blog post on Techdirt, Tim Lee commented on the news that airlines were exploring in-flight Internet capabilities. Lee argues that the benefits of Wi-Fi outweigh the potential flaw of allowing passengers to chat on their phones all through a flight: “My guess is that business travelers, who generate a disproportionate share of airline revenues, will find the ability to get work done on the airplane to be worth the minor inconvenience of occasionally having to listen to a neighbor's phone call, and so airlines that permit calls will be more profitable.”

FindingDulcinea’s business travel Web guide, for the busy traveler who wants to stay connected, includes tips on where to find Internet access and which cellular service providers offer the best deals for travelers.