In-flight Wi-Fi has been promoted as a top convenience for both business and leisure travellers, allowing them to browse the web, stream, and send messages while cruising at 35 000 feet, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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Despite its availability for some time, many passengers have been reluctant to pay the high cost associated with connecting online.
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The expense for in-flight connectivity can be steep. For instance, British Airways charges R520 for general access, Emirates costs R370, and Virgin Atlantic can reach up to R710 for premium access throughout the flight.
However, there is some good news for those flying to the United States next year. Delta Air Lines is set to introduce free in-flight internet on its long-haul flights. Free streaming-quality Wi-Fi is already available on nearly 700 Delta planes, primarily serving domestic routes. The airline anticipates that most long-haul travellers will have access to this service by the end of next year.
Ranjan Goswami, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Design, stated, ‘As we continue to roll out fast, free Wi-Fi and the in-flight experiences it powers, we’re able to serve customers travelling both domestically and internationally in new, in-the-moment ways.
‘The scale at which we’re bringing free Wi-Fi to customers is unmatched in the airline industry, and it’s a testament to the incredible efforts of Delta teams across the business that have expertly navigated an extremely complex rollout.’
Delta is currently implementing its free Wi-Fi on Viasat-equipped widebody aircraft, introducing the service on a route-by-route basis as aircraft availability permits. Connectivity for South American flights is expected by October 2024, with West Africa to follow by January 2025. Unfortunately, passengers in South Africa, as well as those traveling to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, will have to wait until mid-2025 for this service.
This development is noteworthy, as Turkish Airlines has also announced plans to offer unlimited free Wi-Fi on all its flights by the end of 2025.
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