Delta is planning to offer free WiFi to all its passengers as early as next year. Currently, the airline is in the middle of testing the free wireless internet for specific members of their program but plans to expand the feature in 2023.
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(Photo : Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: A Delta Airlines jet moves along the runway at Laguardia AIrport on November 10, 2022 in the Queens borough of New York City. The airline industry has rebounded this year and is looking forward to a busy holiday season.
Delta Plans to Offer Free WiFi
Internet access is one of the amenities that a traveler needs. But through the years, several passengers became frustrated with different airlines as they offer either slow, faulty, or expensive internet for flights.
Delta Air Lines will offer free WiFi to passengers. According to a report by Wall Street Journal, this move from the airlines is likely to intensify competition regarding in-flight offerings during post-pandemic.
Testing for this offering has reportedly been done where members of the SkyMiles rewards program get to access the internet during the flight. Delta is expected to roll out this feature to all of its passengers in early 2023. Once the program is already available for passengers, it might require them a SkyMiles loyalty number to get access.
Chief Customer Experience Officer Allison Ausband stated during the Skift Aviation Forum, "For us, as we look at that onboard experience, we want our customers to be as stimulated as they want to be in the air."
This has been the goal of the airline since 2018. Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian announced that the company aims to step up its efforts for this offering. They also tested the free WiFi service on domestic flights in 2019.
Delta currently uses Viasat and Intelsat for internet access for a $5 flat fee. Engadget reported that the company plans to equip most of its fleet in the United States with Viasat service before the year ends. The company also once used SpaceX's Starlink for testing but no confirmation from the company was released if the partnership will proceed.
Free WiFi to Other Airlines
The Verge reported that JetBlue Airways Corp. has been the only airline to offer free internet during flights with support from corporate sponsorships. But aside from Delta, which announced its free access to WiFi just now, several airlines also announced their plans.
SouthWest Airlines will offer the same perks for its passengers soon and might get rid of the $8-per-day rate. The airline stated that they already performed testings on certain flights to see how the system will perform once it becomes accessible to everyone.
Hawaiian Airlines also plans to offer free-inflight WiFi on its fleet next year. The company is planning to use Starlink, the satellite broadband service of SpaceX. American Airlines has also been running tests for free WiFi when customers watch a short advertisement during the flight.
Meanwhile, people that are subscribed to any T-Mobile plan can get free internet access on a limited number of flights for free. The courier announced their partnership with United Airlines last September, as they included the company in Coverage Beyond Campaign, which includes American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Alaska Airlines.
