JetBlue Expands In-Flight Wi-Fi service

By James Alan Miller on June 9, 2008 12:34 PM

Author: Naomi Graychase

JetBlue Airways announced last Wednesday it is expanding its in-flight Wi-Fi service to include a “search and discover option” from Amazon.com, as well as an e-mail and messaging platform open to both Microsoft Exchange corporate e-mail accounts and leading Web mail providers such as Gmail, AOL Mail, Hotmail, and Windows Live Mail. All of the access is provided free of charge.

Currently, JetBlue has one Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft, an A320 dubbed “BetaBlue,” which made its maiden voyage in December 2007. Customers traveling onboard BetaBlue can use their Wi-Fi enabled devices to transfer messages using free services from Yahoo! and RIM. The newly expanded services will be provided over LiveTV's basic connectivity network platform called, “Kiteline.”

In addition to its in-flight Wi-Fi on BetaBlue, JetBlue also offers customers free high-speed wireless Internet access in Terminal 6 at New York City's JFK International Airport, as well as at JetBlue’s Long Beach, California terminal.

Other in-flight multimedia options for JetBlue customers include 36 channels of free live, DIRECTV programming and a selection of FOX InFlight movies on a pay-for basis available on all flights. On JetBlue's EMBRAER 190 planes and on its upgraded aircraft in its A320 fleet, passengers can listen to more than 100 channels of free XM Satellite Radio, as well.

For more in in-flight Wi-Fi, read “2008: The Year of In-Flight Wi-Fi?, " In-Flight, Online,"and " In-Flight Wi-Fi: On and Off."

Post courtesy of Wi-Fi Planet.