Alaska Airlines begins test of in-flight Internet service |
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Alaska Airlines begins test of in-flight Internet service
This should be popular for all of those techies traveling between Seattle and Silicon Valley. Alaska Airlines today started testing an in-flight wireless Internet system, allowing passengers to send and receive email, browse the Internet and watch online video.
Alaska is introducing the service on a Boeing 737-700 flight between Seattle and San Jose this afternoon. It is free during the 60-day trial, with the airline asking travelers for help in determining a pricing plan. So, here's your chance to weigh in: How much would you pay?
Given the relatively short hop between Seattle and the Bay Area, Alaska may be better off trying to set up a subscription plan for frequent business travelers. And the airline isn't the only game in town when it comes to offering this high-tech perk.
Virgin America started offering in-flight Internet service on select aircraft last year, with plans to have the entire fleet equipped this summer. It charges $12.95 for flights over three hours and $9.95 for flights under three hours.
Virgin America, which flies between Seattle and San Francisco, has been going after the techie crowd with USB plugs at every seat so that travelers can charge cell phones and PDAs. It also offers a touch-screen entertainment system.
Alaska Airlines said that its satellite-based system is unique since it operates over land and water. The company, which is working with Row 44 to develop the technology, also said it is twice as fast as other in-flight systems. If the trial is successful, Alaska PLANS to roll out the service to its fleet by the end of 2010.
The firs Internet-equipped jet will take off today for San Jose at 2:20 p.m. After that, the jet will fly on various routes (except Hawaii). More in this video (which would be better if they actually had some background music, or showed someone playing video or a game.)
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John Cook is co-founder and executive editor of TechFlash. He has been covering the technology beat for nearly a decade, writing about startups, entrepreneurs and venture capital, most recently serving as a reporter/blogger at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
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