Delta Air Lines to offer Wi-Fi across U.S. fleet

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Tuesday it will offer broadband wireless internet access on its entire domestic mainline fleet by the middle of next year.

Several other airlines either offer similar service or plan to, though on a much more limited number of flights.

Atlanta-based Delta said Wi-Fi service will be offered for a fee to customers travelling throughout the continental United States.

The nation's No. 3 carrier is partnering with Aircell, an airborne communications provider, to install the network on Delta's domestic fleet of more than 330 aircraft.

The system will allow Delta customers travelling with Wi-Fi enabled devices such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs to access the internet while in flight.

A flat fee of $9.95 will be charged on flights of three hours or less, and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours.

The service will be offered initially on Delta's fleet of 133 MD88/90 aircraft and will expand to the remaining domestic fleet of more than 200 Boeing 737, 757 and 767-300 aircraft during the first half of 2009. It expects to have the technology installed on its entire domestic fleet by next summer.

Financial terms of Delta's agreement with Aircell were not released. The airline did not say how much it expects to generate in revenue by offering the service on its mainline domestic flights. Delta spokeswoman Betsy Talton said the airline is considering options for its international fleet and for aircraft used by its regional flying partners, but has no current plans to offer Wi-Fi service on those flights.

American Airlines, a unit of Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corp., will offer the same Wi-Fi service as Delta through Aircell later this year on 15 of its 767-200 aircraft, which generally fly transcontinental routes, spokeswoman September Wade said, adding that American announced its plan more than a year ago.

New York-based JetBlue Airways Corp. offers free Wi-Fi service on one aircraft that generally flies transcontinental routes, spokesman Sebastian White said. Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways Group Inc. plans to offer Wi-Fi service on a trial basis on one Airbus aircraft in the fall, spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said.

Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest Airlines, Chicago-based UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran Airways, a unit of AirTran Holdings Inc., do not offer Wi-Fi on their flights, according to company spokeswomen.