Delta International In-Flight Wi-Fi Rollout Could Begin By March

With the FAA warming up to use of personal electronic devices during all phases of the flight, it is now up to airlines to offer reliable connectivity options to their passengers. In-flight Wi-Fi is nothing new, but some airlines have been limited to offering the service within the country, Delta is one of those airlines. While the airline was one of the first to latch on to Gogo’s in-flight Wi-Fi service and start offering it on routes in the U.S., it is yet to do so on flights that go across the pond and further. Fliers on Delta should now be relieved as the airline could start offering in-flight Wi-Fi on international routes as soon as next month.

Speaking with CNET Gogo’s social media manager Scott Carmichael said that the FAA has granted supplemental type certificates or STCs. These certificates are needed to modify the plans so as to install the necessary equipment which enables in-flight Wi-Fi. Carmichael says that this was the hard part, as the installation itself doesn’t take more than three to five days. Delta had said that its international fleet would get the service in 2013 but that has trickled into early 2014. Once the rollout is complete, passengers on Delta can expect speeds of up to 30Mbps, not too shabby when you’re at 30,000 feet, or higher.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Transportation
Tags: Delta, Gogo, MWC, MWC 2014