Thank God! After years of sitting here, reading about airline after airline in the US launch in-flight Wi-Fi and longing for some local airline to bring the love to Australia, Singapore Airlines has announced this week that they’ll have in-flight internet access on selected flights starting next year.
The service, which will allow smartphone users to make and receive SMS messages as well as send and receive emails (and potentially make calls as well), will be “introduced progressively on flights operated by the Airline’s Airbus A380, Airbus A340-500 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft”. The service is being provided by OnAir, who apparently provide in-flight connectivity options for four out of five continents (I think the missing one might be Australia).
The fact they’re also considering allowing mobile phone calls is a little worrying, although the WiFi is a welcome addition. Now all we need is for the Aussie airlines to join the revolution and let me get my Internet on whenever I fly interstate.
Rod
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 10:24 AMPlease NO mobile calls on planes!!!
Kevin Russell
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 1:17 PMWhy not? One would assume that they’d test it to make sure it doesn’t interfere with the navigation systems.
Besides, I’ll bet that on most flights there’s at least one person who forgot to turn their phones off or put them in airplane mode.
Nick Broughall
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 2:51 PMI’ve done that a few times…
Nathan Holmes
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 10:47 PMPeople talking on their phones in a small environment is really really irritating.
RB
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 10:40 AMQantas won’t be doing this anytime soon, their planes don’t even like Bluetooth: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10062306-71.html
ec
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 2:03 PMHow much per kb or minute?
Francis Mullane
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 5:23 PMNoooooooo… – the last bastion of freedom getting on the plane and knowing no one can ring you and you can’t access email for a few hours gonski. This bites …
Richard Siu
Friday, October 8, 2010 at 11:42 PMYou do realize that radios, cellphones, computers and all other household electronics don’t.. and have never interfered with airplane navigation/communications systems…
seems silly to ban mobile phone use on the plane if they’re going to give us wifi, they do realize there are thousands of ways to communicate with the outside world if you give us access to the internet… skype call anyone?