More Airlines Offering Wifi to Passengers
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009
Southwest Airlines Co. is ready to begin testing the process of offering WiFi service to it passengers so that those passengers will be able to surf the web during flight. Passengers will be able to use WiFi devices including laptops, iPhones and smart phones to access the internet but cellular technology will NOT work.
At a time when many airlines are struggling to make ends meet, Southwest Airlines has been expanding its flights and services. The connection to the internet is just one more step the airline is taking to make passengers as comfortable as possible.
The airline is teaming with internet giant Yahoo to provide several different services to passengers including daily news and information and also a flight tracker so that passengers can be informed about the flight progress. The service will use satellite technology to make the connection to the internet.
Offering internet to passengers has been something that the airline industry has been interested in for the last several years. Southwest Airlines will be the first to test the technology and will be interested in feedback from passengers.
The leisure travel industry is expecting to see a loss of travelers in 2009. Companies in the industry are trying new and inventive ways to make the travel experience more enticing for those that will be traveling despite the down turn in the industry. The competition for travel dollars will likely increase as the economy continues to tighten.
Southwest Airlines will likely only be the first in a series of airlines that continue to make flying the most convenient choice for travelers of all kinds.