Internet In The Air
By: Sandy Berger Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2003-01-13 10:21:15
Internet In The Air
By Sandy Berger
Soon passengers aboard commercial airlines will be able to surf the Internet at 35,000 feet. Boeing is providing the Connexion technology that will allow air travelers to hook up to the Internet, send e-mail, and access corporate intranets while in the air. The Boeing technology is already in place in some private and government aircraft. Lufthansa and British Airways have started implementation. Japan Airlines and SAS have also signed up for the Boeing program.
Although no U.S. airlines have yet signed up for the Boeing package, U.S. aviation regulators have approved Boeing's technology. The three largest U. S. airlines, American Airlines, United Airline and Delta are among the 17 carriers who are helping Boeing with the planning and development of the Connexion technology.
The technology is expected to spread slowly throughout the airline industry, so while your next flight might not have high-speed Internet access, you can expect to see this technology put into most airlines in the next few years. Oh, yes, don’t expect something for nothing. Although pricing has not yet been set, most passengers will pay an additional fee for the privilege of surfing the Web in an airborne environment.
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