Google and Virgin America have recently announced a partnership to offer free in-flight Wi-Fi Internet access to all passengers over the holiday season. Passengers traveling on Virgin America from November 10, 2009 to January 15, 2010 will be able to access the Internet with the Gogo In-flight Internet service system free of charge.
According to Porter Gale, the Vice President of Marketing at Virgin America, “Since the launch of WiFi on all of our planes, we’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response from travelers…we’ve found that both business and leisure travelers are using the service at a growing rate, and many consider the availability of in-flight WiFi one of the key factors in their booking decision.”
The Gogo In-flight service is currently used by about 20-25 percent of guests on long-haul routes, reports Virgin America, and more users may register this holiday season since the service will be provided free of charge.
The airline has had outlets available in every seat since its launch, and normal fees are $5.95 for flights less than 1.5 hours and redeyes $9.95 for flights between 1.5 hours and 3 hours, $12.95 for flights over three hours, and $7.95 for Internet access solely on a handheld device (regardless of flight time). A 30-day pass priced at $49.95 is also available for all travelers.
The holiday promotion is only available for a few months, and may encourage more people to become comfortable with using the Internet on their flight. The login process with the Gogo In-flight Internet system is fairly simple. Once the passenger is securely in their seat, they need to select the ‘gogoinflight’ signal in their wireless network and open the browser. Internet access on Virgin America planes is available at 35,000 feet on all flights, and the special offer is an exclusive program with Google just for the holiday season.
