Air Canada begins customer trials for inflight internet
Source: Air Canada 19/11/2009
Air Canada said today it has begun trials to offer its customers Gogo(R) Inflight Internet service on board select flights on the carrier’s Toronto-Los Angeles and Montreal-Los Angeles routes.
“Air Canada is the first Canadian airline to begin offering customers access to the internet while they are flying,” said Louise McKenven, Senior Director, Marketing, at Air Canada. “With this service, our customers will be able to email, work and surf the net while flying, and more fully enjoy what is already a superior travel experience that includes complimentary seatback entertainment and access to standard power outlets.”
Following the test period which runs until January 29, 2010, Air Canada will analyze usage and customer feedback before it proceeds with introduction of the service on other routes.
“This initial phase is intended to get our customers’ feedback about this exciting new service. The ultimate rollout of our inflight internet service will be finalized pending the outcome of the trial period as well as obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals and the development of ground infrastructure in Canada to provide a domestic network,” added Ms. McKenven.
“We are very pleased to launch Gogo on Air Canada, the first Canadian airline to offer Inflight Internet,” stated Ron LeMay, Aircell President and CEO. “Air Canada’s customers will now feel the freedom of having the world at their fingertips thanks to having full Internet access in flight. We look forward to working with Air Canada to deliver that world to them.”
Customers can access the service using their own standard, Wi-Fi equipped laptop at a cost of US $9.95 per flight or Personal Electronic Device (PED) at a cost of US $7.95 per flight.
Initially, the Gogo system will be powered by Aircell’s existing network and only available in the continental U.S. in order to make Air Canada’s rollout fast, economical and simple. Air Canada intends to extend the system on other routes in North American with the deployment of the Canadian Air-To-Ground (ATG) network. Aircell plans to collaborate with the Canadian ATG licensee in supporting the establishment of a Canadian ATG network and in facilitating the fleet-wide deployment of Air Canada’s onboard connectivity service.
