Alaska Airlines has announced the coming addition of satellite-based inflight Wi-Fi services to its entire Boeing and Airbus Fleet–and the Gogo broadband 2Ku service is going to be the one providing it.
“We conducted an extensive review to find a satellite Wi-Fi solution that will allow us to give our guests full coverage across our route map, including in the state of Alaska and on flights to Hawaii,” Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer for Alaska Airlines, said. “Our guests will soon be able to connect in the air just as they do out and about on the ground. This makes traveling more relaxing as well as productive – whether you’re scrolling through Facebook, checking email, or watching what’s trending on YouTube.”
With satellite service, aircraft will no longer require a wait time for passengers to get online. They can essentially stay connected from takeoff to landing, whereas at present passengers are required to wait until aircraft reach 10,000 feet to jump back into the network.
Another bonus is that the satellite-based service promises 20 times more bandwidth than its air-to-ground equivalent. Accordingly, Alaska Airlines has promised to revise its pricing structure for its Wi-Fi under the new structure, but notes that prices will be lower than they are currently. Hourly and daily rates are likely to be offered.
At the same time, the airline has also announced that its Virgin America flights will now include Free Chat services such as iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, as well as movies. Both services have been available on Alaska since March.
As for the Gogo 2Ku service, passengers can expect its introduction onto the Boeing 737 aircraft in the first half of 2018. The rest of the Alaska and Virgin America fleet will have to wait a few years longer, with the new Wi-Fi expected for early 2020.