Delta continues its path towards free Wi-Fi

Delta Air Lines is further on its way to offering free Wi-Fi in flights, an effort to test and upgrade the technology gradually over many years.

Atlanta-based Delta rolled out a trial of free Wi-Fi over the summer, and has continued that “with a variety of services to select customers on select routes,” according to the company. “Customers will be notified if they have this option on their flight.”

Airline Wi-Fi fees typically start at $5 per flight.

In recent months, frequent flyers on Delta planes equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi have welcomed the possibility of using a free internet connection as a SkyMiles member.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2018 that he would eventually want to offer free in-flight Wi-Fi, but warned that it could take a few years. that just happened.

“We’re working on it,” Bastian said this fall. “We’re getting closer.”

Availability depends in part on whether the particular aircraft is equipped for the free high-speed Wi-Fi service.

Airlines may hesitate to declare an amenity that is not widely available in their operations, as customers who desire that service will be disappointed if it is not available on their flight.

ThriftyTraveler.com reported in July that Delta in an internal memo said it plans to launch free Wi-Fi on all domestic flights “soon” and will expand the free Wi-Fi fees for international routes by the end of 2024.

The Wall Street Journal this week reported that Delta will begin rolling out free Wi-Fi on “a substantial portion” of its planes next year—though the service is already available on some flights during the year. testing process this year.

Delta has installed high-speed satellite-based Viasat Wi-Fi on Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft as well as some A321 aircraft and some Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, according to its website.

On many of its other aircraft, Delta has an older form of Wi-Fi provided by Intelsat, formerly Gogo. T-Mobile is offering limited free Intelsat in-flight Wi-Fi to some of its customers on select Delta, United and American Airlines flights, as well as on Alaska Airlines.

Currently, in-flight Wi-Fi service can be unstable and unreliable. Travelers for years have expressed frustration with the quality of in-flight Wi-Fi service.

However, reliable in-flight Wi-Fi is a service that many passengers appreciate—including business travelers customers are particularly lucrative for Delta—because it allows them to stay connected and use their time in the air efficiently.

©2022 Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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