Alaska Airlines announced that it will begin testing a satellite-based in-flight Wi-Fi service next year, possibly equipping its entire fleet. Using a system from Row 44, which is designed to work over water and international borders, Alaska Airlines said the service should work on all of its scheduled flight paths. The airline says it plans to test the service on one 737 starting in the spring.
A satellite antenna will be mounted on top of the plane, and customers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices will be able to connect to that satellite service.
Alaska Airlines has not yet announced pricing for the service.
Last month, American Airlines also announced plans to test a high-speed air-to-ground service using a system from AirCell. For American's service, AirCell plans to build towers through the United States to transmit the signals. American has also not yet announced pricing for the service.
With the current economic climate, wireless operators face shrinking marketing budgets and reduced consumer spending.
Globally, the credit crunch is very much alive, and operators will be tightening their belts into the foreseeable future by putting off capital purchases.
