Comments on: American Airlines and Virgin America promise in-flight broadband

American Airlines and Virgin America will be offering in-flight broadband on certain routes starting this spring.

[bremln]

unplugged

I definitely agree with you on not wanting broadband on an
airplane, and at the same time, not being annoyed by all the
hipsters on their laptops. It's nice spending time unplugged from
the internet and email. Airlines should focus on creating a more
relaxing and enjoyable flight experience. JetBlue has done a great
job of this with nice seating and built-in TVs/XM radio. I wish
more airlines would pursue that sort of upgrade rather than
worrying about broadband connections.

[niccolawrence]

I would pay IF...

I would pay to use only IF it is stable and have decent speed. Allows
me to browse any website, watch videos etc. And i do hope this will
happen in flights. I take long haul flights often and i would love to
have broadband in flight.

[Galaxy5]

Yeah, right

American was once on a kick to install seat power on all of it's
aiplanes. Seat power in every row, passengers were told.

They got as far as the international equipment and every third row
on some of its MD-80s.

Broadband on "certain routes"? I'll believe it when I see it. As a
frequent domestic flyer, I don't think I'm going to see jack.

[JohnFitzsimmons]

Fact Correction: JetBlue doe NOT use Aircell Network

A quick fact correction to set the record straight about the Aircell ground-to-air network and JetBlue's LiveTV network.

The article states that JetBlue/BetaBlue/LiveTV operate over Aircell's network. This is factually incorrect. The two systems have no connection or affiliation whatsoever.

[austin_bound]

Not going to happen

Please no - I completely agree with the author - that last thing I
want to listen to when flying is someone else's conversation...much
less multiple "someones".

Not going to happen and if it did - can you imagine the chaos
when the connections start dropping.

No way.

[AirfareWatcher]

I think wi-fi should be relegated to a certain section of the plane, preferably in the very front or back. Hearing somebody talking on Skype or what not, would completely kill other passengers ability to sleep or read. It would very be disruptive.

[BochicaWon]

Over weight lugage in San Francisco (SFO)
IAN (I think employee# 135101) from first class was checking us in San Francisco (SFO).

There was two of us with ONE 75 pound lugage.
So, I stepped aside to re-packed it, then weighed 68 pounds. Only to be hassle again and then asked to weigh my carry on.

The carry-on weighed 35 pound for two of us.

The pushy IAN forced us to check our carry-on in because that too was overwieght. Split between two people would have been 17.5 pounds easily.

Question is did IAN have a bad day with his boy friend or girl friend?

Doing a job you don't like is worse than losing your job.

I do not agree on the issue of being forced to remain "unplugged". At least give me the option of checking my e-mail for any important updates or sending out my own emergency updates or even communicating with my destination about delays and unexpected snafus while I'm sitting for 3 hours in the air rather than trying to call or text them while running through the middle of an airport hauling along fifty pounds of luggage strapped all over me. It is not as if I am being forced fed a broadband line - quite simply, if I want to remain "unplugged", I don't take out my laptop. (Unless you're worried that your boss is going to ask you why you didn't respond to an important e-mail while in the air if he knew you were on a broadband-capable plane - in which case, I would ask if I was being paid for the hours that I was in the air. =)

I can understand not wishing for cell phone use on a flight to keep from disturbing fellow passengers who are trying to sleep, but it is not as if key-clacks from a neighbor is any louder than the various coughs, sneezes, engine noise, or regular conversations that generally fill the cabin. Heck, this way, if a neighbor is fully occupied with the internet, they're certain not to be bothering you.

[ivanda2nd]

will google ever have a wifi home edtion?