Delta is getting ready to follow up on a promise its CEO made last year: free WiFi for all on its planes. Once that happens, Delta would be only one of a dozen airlines in the world with that offer. In the U.S., only much-smaller JetBlue offers free WiFi.
But don’t get too excited yet. The airline started testing out the feature Monday in a two-week trial that will run on 55 flights a day, all domestic, and will then be evaluated for expansion. The tests will only involve planes with GoGo 2Ku WiFi, which is on about 60% of Delta’s mainline fleet, but could extend to other systems later.
The WiFi will be free for all usual phone, tablet and laptop uses, with two exceptions. The no-phone-call rule will still apply, and streaming video such as Netflix or Hulu will not be allowed, to avoid using up all the bandwidth. Delta will still make its full in-flight entertainment package available, either on customer screens or the airline’s seatback units.
