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ANA, JAL to provide in-flight Wi-Fi on international routes

20 Comments

ANA said Monday that from summer 2013, Wi-Fi will be available on its international routes. The service will initially be made available on ANA B777-300ER and B767-300ER fleets serving ANA’s international network. The OnAir Wi-Fi service, Internet OnAir, will work in the same way as a Wi-Fi hotspot on the ground.

Tetsuo FUKUDA, Senior Vice President of CS & Products Services and Innovations, said: “The service will offer passengers a new inflight experience, giving them the flexibility and choice they deserve. We look forward to working with OnAir on this project. OnAir has a wealth of experience in handling large scale fleet programs and delivering end-to-end connectivity solutions for multiple aircraft types.”

Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir commented: “ANA’s decision to choose OnAir’s SBB-based Wi-Fi product demonstrates that the combination of OnAir and SBB is the best solution for passenger connectivity and cements OnAir’s position as the benchmark for global inflight connectivity solutions.”

Internet OnAir provides consistent global coverage, with a combination of over 80 regulatory authorizations, as well as its use of Inmarsat’s I4 SBB network.

OnAir’s products enable passengers to use their own mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and laptops in exactly the same way as they do on the ground, either through the onboard GSM network or the onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. The products are available as linefit or retrofit for all commercial aircraft, as well as government, VIP and business jets, and ships.

OnAir was incorporated in February 2005 and is owned by SITA, the leading IT solutions provider to the air transport world and Airbus, the leading aircraft manufacturer. OnAir is a member of the GSM Association and an Inmarsat Distribution Partner for both SBB and Global Xpress services.

Meanwhile, Japan Airlines is to begin offering JAL Sky Wi-Fi this summer.

The high-speed, wireless Internet service will gradually be introduced onboard JAL's international flights as the airline progressively equips aircraft across its international fleet with the broadband Ku connectivity solution eXConnect by Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic).

With JAL Sky Wi-Fi, customers in every cabin class will be able to send and receive emails, update and navigate their social media networks and browse the internet utilizing their personal electronic devices such as laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled gadgets.

As an alternative inflight entertainment option, or for getting some work done, customers will be able to enjoy the convenience of an onboard Wi-Fi environment that is comparable to ground-level broadband internet access in terms of connection and data-transfer speed.

Connected Routes

Starting with the installation on a Boeing 777-300ER, JAL Sky Wi-Fi will first become available on flights between Tokyo (Narita) and New York (John F. Kennedy) on alternate days from July , and daily from early August. Soon after, JAL expects to deliver its latest service on flights to and from Chicago, Los Angeles and Jakarta by the end of October this year, and London, Paris and Frankfurt by next spring.

Charges

The usage fee for JAL Sky Wi-Fi is $11.95 for the first hour, or $21.95 for 24 hours upon activation. Customers who purchase 24 hours of usage can continue to enjoy the service within the time limit, on a connecting JAL international flight that has the JAL Sky Wi-Fi system. Fees are payable by credit card only. Payments made by JAL CARD, JAL USA CARD, or the JAL Shanghai Pudong Development Bank credit card are entitled to the special rates of $10.75 for the first hour and $19.75 for 24 hours of usage.

Free Trial

From Jul 15 to Sept 30, customers in First and Executive Class on applicable flights will be able to experience JAL Sky Wi-Fi with a complimentary one-hour trial of the new service. Customers interested in the trial should contact their cabin attendant for more information on how to access it.

© Asian Travel Tips

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

20 Comments
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charges??? they have a bloody nerve - international flights costing a minimum of $1000 and they expect us to pay for the wifi....

-6 ( +6 / -11 )

@Peter Shaw Do you really expect a company to roll out a new service and give it away for free? What a silly and childish notion. Welcome to Capitalism. I only hope you were joking. Sadly you probably weren't.

4 ( +8 / -5 )

This is really good news! I used this service back in 2006 and it really helped to kill time during 14 hour NRT to JFK flight... then they got rid of this service, that was a shame.

I hope other airlines catch up. Would be nice to see it on Cathay and European carriers. I am not holding my breath to seeing HNL bound flights getting this, as they are operated at a loss and some of them don't even have personal screens :-)

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Hmmmm, I wonder what ever happened to the notion that laptops etc can interfere with flight navigation equipment. Maybe making a few extra $ was more important than safety or was it just an urban myth that they could interfere with the nav equipment.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What a scam. People will pay through the nose for it... and will be happy to do so.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@supermonk7

Why is this a scam? It's a service, just like your keitai or breakfast. Which part is exactly scam? If you don't want it, don't buy it. Oh and for your information, 6 years ago only a handful of passengers were purchasing it. I think partially because it was not properly advertised, that's why it didn't take off (no pun intended)

@scoobydoo

Do you have any scientic evidence to support your argument? Like you said - urban myth. Planes would be crashing left right and center if was the case, but on the countrary there has not been a single insident reported where a personal communication device has ever caused interfearance in any type of aircraft, and to think that every passenger turns off their cell phones 100% of the time is unresonable.

@warallthetime Wasn't inflight entertainment free when it came out? wasn't food? that said, a huge amount of money went into R&D for this service so payment is justified and I think is perfectly reasonable.

Who is the genious that ranked my earlier post as -1. Some people don't have their head on straight...

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

The service sounded nice at first, then I read the charges. Highway robbery in the sky!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How fast is the connection? If it is dial up speeds no thank you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Don't want it, no thanks, super expensive Credit card phone for emergencies is enough. It is the only time in modern life is where people will not and can not bother you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A bit too expensive if you ask me. Nice idea, but with all the other stuff we have to pay for air service, I doubt I would use this service. I'll just turn on my own GPSr and use it to keep track of where the flight is going. Far more entertaining and it's free.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I can't wait for this!

Anyone complaining about charges, I'd like to see you safely outfit 10 year old airplane designs (navigating FAA rules meanwhile) with an internet connection that works over oceans, works between different countries' regulatory systems, and still maintains a decent speed.

Flying is incredibly affordable and practical nowadays and yet people still whine about absolutely everything.

@scoobydoo: That's mainly a problem when you have phones (especially previous-gen GSM phones with their characteristic bursty noise) transmitting at full power trying to find a tower. With a low-power transmitter inside the plane, the phone can toggle down the transmit power to its lowest setting, reducing interference.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I wonder what ever happened to the notion that laptops etc can interfere with flight navigation equipment.

Airlines ask you to stow your electronics during take off and landing for two reasons. One is the same reason that they ask you to open your window shades: spatial awareness is important in the event of an emergency. The other is that unstowed devices become deadly projectiles in the case of violent vector changes. It never had anything to do with airplane electronics.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It has to be super slow as they dont even tell you on their website how fast it is.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How could they advertise their plans connection speed when it with no doubt varies.. I'm sure it pretty good

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Do you really expect a company to roll out a new service and give it away for free? What a silly and childish notion.

In Canada, the ferries and the intercity buses have FREE wifi. In Vietnam, FREE wifi is available in just about every cafe and hotel in the country.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Airlines ask you to stow your electronics during take off and landing for two reasons..................... It never had anything to do with airplane electronics.

Sorry you are wrong partly here. It did have to do with the possible interference of nav systems as a result of a flight going wrong that didn't lead to any fatalities. Air safety could not conclusively connect it to the use of laptops BUT, they believed it was the cause for the incident and implemented this rule. Sorry I can't remember the specific flight details but I am correct on this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not a bad price I suppose. Better than the $15 American Airlines was asking for a 3.5-hour flight from Phoenix to Miami when I was at home. Part of capitalism is the right of the consumer to say "no thanks, not worth it.". It might be harder to get their money back on their investment if they can't deliver it at a price people thnk is reasonable.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

why ANA do not install a camera on planes and via web made possible a real time look from 10.000 meters ? imagine a set of 20, 30 cameras in real time you see the soil of earth. i think is a big idea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Because that would turn commercial airplanes into reconnaissance aircraft.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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