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Delta to Put Wi-Fi on ALL Domestic Flights

onionperson654

onionperson654

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 26, 2007
224
47
From PC Magazine-
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc will soon start rolling out broadband Wi-Fi access for its entire domestic mainline fleet of more than 330 planes, the U.S. carrier said on Tuesday.

The access will cost $9.95 on flights of three hours or less and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours.

"Beginning this fall, our passengers will have the ability to stay connected when they travel with us throughout the continental United States," said Richard Anderson, Delta's chief executive officer.

Delta expects Wi-Fi to be available on all its domestic mainline planes by the summer of 2009.

(Reporting by Mark McSherry; editing by John Wallace)
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Delta Press Release

Now you can always be connected with your iPhone, or even iPod Touch (and computer, of course).

I would imagine that this will fairly revolutionize air travel, and the other carriers will have to follow suit soon. On a plane of 100 people, think of how many will want to use Wi-Fi to be productive or just make the flight more bearable.
 
this concept makes me laugh.

I mean the access to Wi-Fi on the plane is great.

But what about all that talk about turning cellphones off, and wireless devices off because it interferes with "something" on the plane <-- as explained by the flight attendants during take off.

all of a sudden Wi-fi is NOT a problem?

;)
 
izibo said:
Great news... except for the fact that I can't stand Delta.
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Darn it, I forgot about how much I hate them for a second when I heard this. Well, once they gobble up Northwest, they will be the only major carrier with a significant number of flights into our airport, so I've got no choice.

Hopefully, though, this makes other, more reasonable (or perhaps I should say, less horrible) airlines add it as well.
 
izibo said:
Great news... except for the fact that I can't stand Delta.
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I'm surprised to hear that... I sure have had good luck with Delta over the years. Mainly the prices I find at Delta are the best thing about them, but still haven't had much issue with them.

I just flew my mom from CA to FL for $220 round trip. I don't know how they even make money when I consistently find ticket prices at that rate.
 
grantrobarts said:
I'm surprised to hear that... I sure have had good luck with Delta over the years. Mainly the prices I find at Delta are the best thing about them, but still haven't had much issue with them.

I just flew my mom from CA to FL for $220 round trip. I don't know how they even make money when I consistently find ticket prices at that rate.
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I've had the worst luck with Delta. Delays, bad connections (Atlanta, anyone?), and really poor customer service. I will try to fly just about anyone else before I consider Delta.
 
SFStateStudent said:
Southwest will probably come out with FREE WiFi...:D
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Unlikely. WN has a revenue crunch just the same as other airlines. Their fuel hedges are expiring in the next few years so they'll have to figure out what to do...

WN Fuel Hedges
2007 is 95% hedged at $50/barrel;
2008 is 65% hedged at $49/barrel;
2009 is over 50% hedged at $51/barrel;
2010 is over 25% hedged at $63/barrel;
2010 is over is 15% hedged at $64/barrel;
2012 is 15% hedged at $63/barrel
 
SFStateStudent said:
Southwest will probably come out with FREE WiFi...:D
Click to expand...

08-05-2008 | Update on Southwest’s Onboard Internet Connectivity
As we mentioned a couple of months ago, Southwest will begin testing a broadband internet connection onboard four of our aircraft. We had anticipated testing our first Wi-Fi enabled aircraft beginning in August; however, we now expect to have our first aircraft flying with the Wi-Fi system during fourth quarter 2008. Even with this change, Southwest still plans to be the first U.S. carrier to test satellite-based Internet access on multiple aircraft.

Once the planes are flying, inflight testing is expected to last a couple of months. The goals of the test are to ensure that the system works as expected and to evaluate Customer acceptance. During the test period, Internet service will be provided free for our Customers in exchange for their feedback. This feedback will help us gain the insight necessary to make future decisions regarding how to move forward with our onboard connectivity.
 
JWages said:
Wi-Fi would be more useful on those long, boring, international flights.
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True. But that has already been tried a few years ago when Lufthansa, SAS, Japan Airlines and a couple of others deployed WLAN on international flights (google for "Connexion by Boeing"). Unfortunately it was a flop business-wise. Hopefully it will catch on better now.
 
revenuee said:
this concept makes me laugh.

I mean the access to Wi-Fi on the plane is great.

But what about all that talk about turning cellphones off, and wireless devices off because it interferes with "something" on the plane <-- as explained by the flight attendants during take off.

all of a sudden Wi-fi is NOT a problem?

;)
Click to expand...

No.... Wi-Fi never has been a problem. The only thing that causes trouble is cell signals.
 
Rigby said:
True. But that has already been tried a few years ago when Lufthansa, SAS, Japan Airlines and a couple of others deployed WLAN on international flights (google for "Connexion by Boeing"). Unfortunately it was a flop business-wise. Hopefully it will catch on better now.
Click to expand...

The problem with International Flights is that they either go over oceans, which don't have towers, or multiple countries, which makes planning a unified system hard.


About banning signals on planes previously, it WAS cell signals that got attacked for messing with the airplane, but they make you turn off all other signals as well, including Wi-FI and even bluetooth, which could have been useful. Any electronic device, including a cd player or classic iPod, is not allowed during landing and take off (anything generates an electromatic field if it is using electronics, even if it doesn't broadcast. However, in reality this is minimal).

Although, if they did it to keep annoying cell phone conversations off planes, than kudos to them.
 
wonderbread57 said:
What about power outlets? What good is WiFi on a 3+ hour flight when your battery is getting low?
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Hit or miss. If its 3+ hours, chances are you'll probably be on a 763 (no power in economy), 764 (power in every seat in economy), or 772 (power in every seat in economy). It depends on the aircraft, and I don't think DL management is interested in installing new seats just so everyone can keep their laptops running... (Of course, it your in BusElite or First then you don't have to worry about the power as every seat has an outlet regardless of aircraft ** (**mainline only)
 
RyanF2009 said:
No.... Wi-Fi never has been a problem. The only thing that causes trouble is cell signals.
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A physics TA of mine once told me the real reason they did not allow cell phone calls on planes is that the tele companies are unable to triangulate your calls at this elevation (assuming you can even get a cell signal in flight) so they are unable to charge the correct customer. It basically had nothing to do with inference of flight equipment--just the benjamins!
 
Great... and how long do you think it'll be before people start using it to do VOIP calls?

UGH.....

It's not as much a concern about using cell phones interferring with the instruments anymore as it is:

1) People (esp here in America) are RUDE as HELL and LOUD on their phones. I'm sorry, but I really DON'T want to sit there and listen to your half of a boring conversation while being stuck in a tube at 30K ft for 3 hours....

2) The cell towers wouldn't be able to keep up with the handset handoff at typical airliner speeds.

3) they won't let you use electronics the first and last 10 minutes of the flight because that's the time when the flight is the most dangerous and they want you to be able to hear emergency instructions, and they don't want your gadgets all over the place where if they needed to do an emergency landing + evac, people are tripping over your wires and crap...
 
ugh, this means that once iCall comes out, people will be yapping on planes on thier phones. that's going to suck.
 
longshotalpha said:
A physics TA of mine once told me the real reason they did not allow cell phone calls on planes is that the tele companies are unable to triangulate your calls at this elevation (assuming you can even get a cell signal in flight) so they are unable to charge the correct customer. It basically had nothing to do with inference of flight equipment--just the benjamins!
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Uh... no. Cell signals screw with some of the navigation tools. Telephone carriers have no say in the rules that airlines make. This isn't a huge development... wifi has been available on flights since mid-2003.
 
This is nothing new at all, actually i though this was normal.

Ive used it on so many occasions on airlines all around the world!

First time was late 2003, and pretty much everytime ive on a plane there has been internet available......

you americans are in your own little world arent you :p :D

I doubt this is really that related to the iphone, i think its more related to everyone else having done this :p:
 
onionperson654 said:
The problem with International Flights is that they either go over oceans, which don't have towers, or multiple countries, which makes planning a unified system hard.
Click to expand...
The Boeing system was satellite-based.
About banning signals on planes previously, it WAS cell signals that got attacked for messing with the airplane
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This is only a problem because the phones constantly try to connect to a new tower in flight, which causes them to transmit at full power most of the time. This problem can be solved by putting a basestation on the plane itself which "catches" the phones on board.
Although, if they did it to keep annoying cell phone conversations off planes, than kudos to them.
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Very true. At the very least it should be restricted to a special area on the plane ...
 
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