Seven major airlines have teamed up with Gogo Inflight Internet to provide free access to Facebook during flights. Accessing other pages on the web, however, requires payment, ranging between $5 for short flights or $13 for long ones. Facebook is the most popular place visited on the Gogo network and is being used as a promo to drive adoption of in-air Internet use.
Google today restarted its free holiday Wi-Fi program with an approach that focuses on the flights. The new plan will give free Internet access on any AirTran, Delta or Virgin America domestic flight from November 20 through to January 2. The effort is promoted by the Chrome browser team in an attempt to drive use of the browser.
JetBlue has become the latest airline company to announce it will bring Wi-Fi to its fleet. The company, which flies across the US, will partner with ViaSat to install hardware that will enable broadband Internet and TV service on its 160 aircraft by the end of 2012. Before this happens, however, the FAA needs to test and approve all the gear.
