[img src="" caption="" credit="" alt=""]It has been just over a year since Boeing shutdown its Connexion service that aimed to offer Internet access on flights. Today in a big reversal of strategy, word from The New York Times that not only is JetBlue soon going to offer Internet access on its planes, but American Airlines, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines will also be offering services for around $10 per flight.
The timing might be right this time around. According to a report from Forrester Research, 45 percent of travelers would pay for Web access on a 4+ hour flight. That said, there are questions as to how reliable the connections will be, which is why JetBlue’s CEO tells the Times the service will be free for now.
Whether or not the airlines charge for WiFi, there is a cost, and that cost is likely to be passed onto consumers in one form or another, especially considering the financial woes of many airlines. With ticket prices already running incredibly high because of $90+ oil, a mass rollout of WiFi would likely only further drive up the cost of flying. While the selfish part of me would love free WiFi on planes, I think charging a small amount for those that choose to use it would be the fair way to go.