Airline Announces In-Flight Wi-Fi Service Roll-Out for 2008

AirCell is teaming with American Airlines to test broadband services with passengers across the U.S. beginning in 2008. AirCell's new Broadband Internet service will allow business and leisure passengers to check e-mail, surf the Web, tap into an office network and stay current on the latest news, using their own Wi-Fi enabled laptops, PDAs, iPhones, BlackBerrys and portable gaming systems ---while in flight. Passenger testing will be conducted on American Airlines fleet of Boeing 767-200 aircraft that primarily fly transcontinental routes. As the first to launch in-flight broadband capabilities, American and AirCell are pioneering the last frontier of domestic Internet service.


The solution will provide passengers with a high-speed Internet connection, VPN access and e-mail capabilities through Wi-Fi-enabled laptops and PDA devices. The system has the ability to adapt as technology evolves. The technology will be available in all classes of the B767-200 aircraft for a fee. If the connectivity solution is successful, it could be extended to the rest of American's domestic fleet.
 
The cost of the service on American Airlines will be announced at the time of service roll-out.

"We understand that broadband connectivity is important to our business customers and others who want to use their PDAs and laptops for real-time, in-flight broadband communications," said Dan Garton, Executive Vice President - Marketing for American Airlines. "This is part of our continuing effort to take the lead in enhancing the travel experience for our customers and meet their evolving needs.We are excited to provide solutions that will give American Airlines passengers the opportunity to make high-speed Internet connections from unprecedented heights," Garton said. "We consider it a 30,000-foot answer to many of our business travelers' needs."

"Travelers are already bringing their own Wi-Fi enabled devices onto planes," said Jack Blumenstein, AirCell CEO. "Bringing broadband access onto domestic flights at an everyday, affordable price provides travelers the opportunity to recapture time. Making productive use of the time in the air will give them time back on the ground with family or just relaxing. Airline customers across the U.S. list broadband access in flight as one of their top wishes," continued Blumenstein. "As the first airline to deploy broadband access, American is demonstrating its commitment to the business traveler and to its industry-leading position in technological innovation.