TORONTO – Tired of the flight-induced time lapse when you can’t be constantly checking your email or posting selfies to Facebook?
Me neither.
But apparently Air Canada thinks travelers need a Wi-Fi connection on their flights.
The airline plans to roll out Wi-Fi across its North American fleet in May in a partnership with Gogo, an in-flight broadband Internet service Air Canada currently offers on two Airbus 319 aircraft that fly over Canada and the U.S.
“In today’s connected world, our customers want to access email, mobile device applications and the internet wherever they are, both to increase their work productivity and expand their leisure options,” said Benjamin Smith, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer in a statement.
No pricing information was listed in the release, but a previous Air Canada post listed the Gogo Inflight Internet service at $9.95 U.S. between Toronto or Montreal and Los Angeles.
Gogo said Air Canada plans to outfit its remaining Airbus A319, A320 and A321 narrow-body and Embraer 190 fleet types, as well as its Air Canada Express CRJ-705 and Embraer 175 aircraft, with the in-flight wireless technology.
Future testing of satellite options for Wi-Fi on international flights are scheduled to start in 2015, according to the agreement.
Air Canada’s plan is set to beat WestJet’s revamped entertainment system which was announced in February. WestJet aims to begin removing all its aircrafts’ seatback television monitors starting next year to allow access to TV, movies and the Internet with passengers’ personal electronic devices.
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