RunwayGirl From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 38 posts, RR: 11 Posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 2489 times:
US Airways announced this morning it is equipping some A321s with Gogo broadband. Still trying to find out details about its other fleet equipage plans, but US Airways is one of two new Gogo customers. An 8th has yet to be announced. Who might it be?
Pitintl From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 88 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2370 times:
Quoting BigGSFO (Reply 1): Does AS have Wifi? If not, I am surprised.
We have WiFi installed on one aircraft currently. The plan is to install it fleet wide by the end of the year. It's still in the testing and pricing phase right now. Look for it on your next AS flight.
BigGSFO From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2755 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2344 times:
Quoting Pitintl (Reply 2): We have WiFi installed on one aircraft currently. The plan is to install it fleet wide by the end of the year. It's still in the testing and pricing phase right now. Look for it on your next AS flight.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22030 posts, RR: 51 Reply 4, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2314 times:
Alaska is testing Row44, not Aircells go-go.
We know UA commitied to go-go for its p.s. fleet starting this fall.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
RunwayGirl From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 38 posts, RR: 11 Reply 6, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2306 times:
My money is on Continental. The carrier is equipping its domestic fleet with LiveTV's latest 80-channel live television system. If it opts for Aircell's Gogo broaband system, it will, without a doubt, have the very best in-flight entertainment and connectivity system in the US skies. Continental is a smart cookie...it ain't going to sit on its hands on this one.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22030 posts, RR: 51 Reply 7, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2275 times:
CO can get wi-fi via LiveTV (as B6 does). No need to invest in alternate system.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
RunwayGirl From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 38 posts, RR: 11 Reply 8, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2242 times:
Here is where it gets interesting, LAXintl. Continental originally said it would indeed get LiveTV's "Kiteline" connectivity product, which is very basic (not actual broadband) but upon further recent questioning the carrier has pulled back on that original statement and now says it is studying its options. LiveTV has declined comment. JetBlue isn't moving incredibly fast to equip its own fleet with Kiteline. It says it will equip 20 aircraft from the fourth quarter. The carrier - like its LiveTV subsidiary - is still wondering who is going to pay for the service. With hotels, coffee shops and lots of other places offering Wi-Fi for free, JetBlue isn't certain that pax will pay for it in two years.
EA CO AS From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 12559 posts, RR: 64 Reply 9, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2200 times:
Quoting RunwayGirl (Reply 8): With hotels, coffee shops and lots of other places offering Wi-Fi for free, JetBlue isn't certain that pax will pay for it in two years.
Put me squarely in this category as well. I believe - and have expressed this opinion to senior management at my company - that WiFi itself shouldn't be considered an ancillary revenue source, but rather should be used as a tool to drive (or maintain) market share vs. competitors who may not provide it (or charge for it).
Second, there IS an ancillary revenue opportunity there with the free WiFi customer in the form of hosting and charging for convenient streaming content from the landing page, targeted online advertising (pushing company discount codes for purchase of goods/services while onboard), etc. For example, cruise lines leverage their customers by offering discounts if you book your next cruise while you're on your current one. Why can't airlines do the same - particularly using their lowest-cost distribution method - while inflight?
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem - government IS the problem." - Ronald Reagan
RunwayGirl From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 38 posts, RR: 11 Reply 10, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 2136 times:
Airlines are looking to do the same, EA CO AS...they're just a little slower at these things sometimes Now for the unfortunate news - Aircell has just contacted me and told me that their 8th customer is Northwest Airlines. Despite Northwest's merger with Delta, Aircell considers it a separate customer (don't know if the contract was signed before the merger or if they simply see Delta and Northwest as separate...I guess there are plenty of folks on this and other forums that still feel the same way too). In any case, here is the rundown of who is planning to do what -
American Airlines - Gogo on about 300 aircraft
United Airlines - Gogo on its P.S. fleet
Delta - Gogo on its entire domestic mainline fleet
Northwest - Gogo on its entire domestic mainline fleet (will it be on the DC-9s??)
AirTran - Gogo on its entire fleet
Virgin America - Gogo on its entire fleet
US Airways - Gogo on 50 A320s
Air Canada - Gogo on transborder fleet, plans for fleet-wide when Canadian infrastructure sorted
Southwest - trial of satellite-based Row 44 on four 737s
Alaska - trial of Row 44 on single 737
BOTH plan on fleet-wide once all issues are sorted
JetBlue - Basic LiveTV Kiteline on single A320, plans to equip 20 A320s with it from 4Q
Flighty From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 7439 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 2116 times:
Sat based Internet is incredibly expensive. If there is a radio tower system already built then all airlines will end up using that. The real challenge us how to cover oceanic spaces like LAX-Hawaii, and I don't have the answer. Sat coverage exists but it is not for the mass market, at least not yet.
EA CO AS From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 12559 posts, RR: 64 Reply 12, posted (3 years 10 months 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 2042 times:
Quoting Flighty (Reply 11): The real challenge us how to cover oceanic spaces like LAX-Hawaii, and I don't have the answer.
Row44's product does this.
Quoting Flighty (Reply 11): Sat coverage exists but it is not for the mass market, at least not yet.
(cough)Row44(cough)
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem - government IS the problem." - Ronald Reagan
RunwayGirl From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 38 posts, RR: 11 Reply 14, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1913 times:
Oh very interesting, Timf. Some DC-9s are getting it then. Well good for Delta. The carrier will also need to consider part of Delta Connection since AirTran competes with Delta regionals on certain routes. What say you?
DesertFlyer From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 474 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1802 times:
I believe the downside to Row44 is that latency is much higher than with Gogo which could make it less useful for some users.
Chrisair From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1770 posts, RR: 4 Reply 17, posted (3 years 10 months 2 days ago) and read 1757 times:
Quoting Pitintl (Reply 2): We have WiFi installed on one aircraft currently. The plan is to install it fleet wide by the end of the year. It's still in the testing and pricing phase right now. Look for it on your next AS flight.
Really? I heard end of 2010 at the rate of one plane/month.
In any event, does this mean that the Row 44 system has been approved by both the FCC and FAA? I remember there was a long delay in getting the system put on the test aircraft because of regulatory issues.
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From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 38 posts, 
Now for the unfortunate news - Aircell has just contacted me and told me that their 8th customer is Northwest Airlines. Despite Northwest's merger with Delta, Aircell considers it a separate customer (don't know if the contract was signed before the merger or if they simply see Delta and Northwest as separate...I guess there are plenty of folks on this and other forums that still feel the same way too). In any case, here is the rundown of who is planning to do what - 
From Mexico, joined May 2001, 5093 posts, 
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