Good news for those of you who like to stay connected and tinker away on your mobile devices even while airborne. Come May, Air Canada is set to offer passengers in-flight Wi-Fi service across North America.
On Wednesday, April 9, Air Canada announced its plans to introduce the chargeable service for certain flights across North America.
Air Canada has partnered with Gogo to bring in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity passengers' way. Per the agreement, there is also scope for "future type-testing of Gogo satellite solutions for Wi-Fi on international flights."
"Air Canada continually seeks to enhance the travel experience and that is why we are pleased to be the first airline in Canada to offer in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity to customers flying over continental North America. In today's connected world, our customers want to access email, mobile device applications and the internet wherever they are, both to increase their work productivity and expand their leisure options. The introduction of Wi-Fi across our narrow-body North American fleet will be another welcome amenity for customers, who already enjoy the award-winning service of North America's Best Airline," said Benjamin Smith, Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Currently, Air Canada has two Airbus 319 aircrafts that offer Wi-Fi support, which are operational in Canada and the U.S. The carrier is looking to bring air-to-ground Wi-Fi connectivity to other aircrafts in its fleet like the Airbus A319, A320 and A321 to name a few.
Air Canada along with Gogo will begin the installations in May. The carrier intends to equip at least 29 aircrafts this year itself. It is also targeting a December 2015 deadline for around 130 of its narrow-body airplanes.
For those concerned about the speed of the Wi-Fi connection in the skies, it is similar to that of mobile broadband services that are offered on the ground. However, the Canada-based airline did not divulge the fees passengers would incur to avail the Wi-Fi facility, it said that the price point would be "competitive" with other carriers.
Presently, American Airlines and Delta both offer Wi-Fi connectivity aboard their aircrafts, charging $14 for a 24-hour Wi-Fi pass (for unlimited usage). Gogo normally charges $5 per hour and $14 for 24 hours. Passengers also have the option to pay $39.95 per month for usage on a single carrier or $49.95 per month for all airlines.
Going forward, whether Air Canada can lure customers with this new facility will be interesting to see. Considering airplanes were one of the few places where one could escape the Internet intrusion, how passengers will react also remains a question as many may find the use of tablets or smartphone on the airplane disturbing. Moreover, many people may not want to pay for the service.
