American begins testing of in-flight Internet

American Airlines said it has completed the installation of Internet connectivity technology from Aircell on the first of 15 767-200s that will be used to market-test the service this year. Before the first passengers can crank up their WiFi-enabled devices, however, that first plane will have to go through some in-flight testing to secure certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, American said. The Internet connectivity should be ready for passenger use no later than June. The 15 767s getting the Aircell installations in all classes this year are used mainly on transcontinental routes, American noted. The airline will charge a fee for use of the service, but it has not yet said how much that will be.

Once it is up and running, “customers will experience speeds similar to wireless, mobile, broadband services on the ground,” American said. The Aircell system will let passengers with wireless-enabled laptops, PDAs and even portable gaming devices tap into the Internet and VPN (virtual private network) email, but it will only be a data service, American said, stressing that “cell phone and Voice Over IP services will not be available.” The broadband service will also give flyers access to other content, including gate and schedule information from aa.com, and the Wall Street Journal Digest Edition.

American said the service will provide “seamless coverage over the continental U.S. above 10,000 feet,” using three antennae on each plane to transmit and receive data from a network of 92 cellular towers on the ground. Wireless access points distributed along the aircraft’s ceiling will extend the network to all passengers. “Pending successful connectivity trials on B767 aircraft, American could extend Aircell’s in-flight broadband service to the remainder of its domestic fleet,” the company said.

Other airlines are also planning in-flight Internet access. JetBlue last month started a limited test of Internet access on one aircraft, but it only allows email and instant messaging for passengers with Yahoo accounts. Southwest Airlines is planning a satellite-based Internet service; the carrier said last week it expects to begin testing sometime this summer. And Virgin America is also working with Aircell on broadband in-flight connectivity; the airline said it expects the capability to be available on its planes “sometime in 2008.”