In-flight internet

I’m currently somewhere over Nevada, flying from LA to Boston on Virgin America and enjoying free in-flight wireless. This is my first time flying Virgin (I like it – but I prefer the economy plus seats on United), and I understand they always have wireless but usually charge; google chrome is sponsoring it for free through the holiday season. [Happy to give them some free advertising in return, although I’m using firefox myself.]

I was on a Lufthansa trans-atlantic flight with wireless, but this is my first time really using it. Presumably it will become standard, although I am weak and sometimes wish it weren’t available — that way I could get some real work done instead of blogging. At least no one seems to be making any skype calls.

Any readers with predictions about how this will develop over time? e.g. will we see mobile phones allowed on flights anytime soon? My highest authority (Mythbusters) claims that the safety issue exists but is unlikely to be a serious problem.

3 Responses

  1. I find it rather ironic that implementation of the full-body scans, and the hype surrounding thereof, more or less coincides with free or for-pay in-flight internet services. I did read the the Mythbusters notes on wireless signals perhaps interfering with cockpit instrumentation, but wouldn’t passengers simply having access to the internet pose a security threat in itself???

  2. Mobile phones are also allowed on RyanAIr flights, for a special fee of course. So It is not an safety issue, however it is proven that you can see that mobile phones are being used on the instruments, I remember when I flew from Warzawa to Oslo, that the cabin crew was searching for the one person using his/her phone, and there she sat a few rows in front of me sending text messages.