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United Rolls Out Wi-Fi On Overseas Flights
It used to be that one of the few places you couldn't get a Wi-Fi signal was at 30,000 feet, but soon there will be no excuse for being out of touch (or not getting work done) as airlines implement a dramatic expansion of onboard Wi-Fi services.
More than half of the planes flown by U.S. carriers currently offer Wi-Fi onboard, but United and other airlines are planning to up the ante by offering satellite-based Internet service en route. This not only means faster speeds, but the ability to get online during overseas flights – something not previously possible using ground-based technology.
However, installing the satellite technology onto existing aircraft is no mean feat, with airlines forced to ground a plane for 15 days to get the system up and running. Engineers also have to run a series of tests to make sure passengers can get the signal strength they're paying for. Since the shape and composition of a plane can cause Wi-Fi signals to bounce all over the place, experts have had their hands full making sure you can get can online no matter where on the plane you're sitting.
And then there's the cost. Installing Wi-Fi on a single aircraft sets the airline back more than $200,000 – and that's not counting the revenue lost from taking the aircraft out of service for so long. Of course, airlines will more than make the money back in the long run thanks to the charges for using the Wi-Fi, which will range from around $4 to $23 depending on the flight.
Twenty of United's planes are already equipped with the new Wi-Fi technology, with plans to bring that number up to 300 by the end of the year.
Check out the video below to learn more about United's Wi-Fi expansion plans.
[Photo credit: Flickr user Robert Raines]
And then there's the cost. Installing Wi-Fi on a single aircraft sets the airline back more than $200,000 – and that's not counting the revenue lost from taking the aircraft out of service for so long. Of course, airlines will more than make the money back in the long run thanks to the charges for using the Wi-Fi, which will range from around $4 to $23 depending on the flight.
Twenty of United's planes are already equipped with the new Wi-Fi technology, with plans to bring that number up to 300 by the end of the year.
Check out the video below to learn more about United's Wi-Fi expansion plans.
[Photo credit: Flickr user Robert Raines]
Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines, Luxury Travel
