You read it right, this holiday season in the US (sorry Europe, Asia) Google from Silicon Valley is providing travelers at 47 US airports free Wi-Fi. The free service commenced November 10 and runs till January 15, 2010. At Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) and Burbank (BUR) airports, Google’s Andrew Pederson told us that the service will continue indefinitely. Google said, “… we like people online.” Rightfully so! This free offering from Google led to the ‘Virgin-Airlines-Free-Holiday-Inflight-Wi-Fi’ that was initiated about a month ago, helping drive the airborne leg. However, we were most interested in the airport arrangement and contacted SEA and BUR asking about the deal drivers – why forgo revenue that can easily exceed $100K per year?

Perry Cooper from progressive Seattle-Tacoma airport told us that they were very excited about the offer since they had a free Wi-Fi concept in their internal planning for 2010 and Google came along at just the right time. Seattle is now winding down a contract with AT&T, but expects everything to be in place in the very near future. At BUR airport, a spokesperson was not so optimistic about a free Wi-Fi future but this is where you readers can help. In fact US airports like SFO and LAX are not participating, probably because they do have exclusive service providers or advertising contracts and cannot participate; however, if travelers make it a point to contact their airport authority on the web or by phone and thank them if they participated in the free airport Wi-Fi from Google or tell them to adopt the Google deal if they did not…this could take off.

Check the links below for more information about participating airports. Further, send this Hot Topic to airport authorities in Asia, Europe and your backyard and help make a difference. We have all seen costly pay phones almost disappear at airports (killed by cell phones) and as a replacement, service providers and most airports alike, jumped on the paid Wi-Fi bandwagon. Gouging (yes, we said gouging) the traveling public seems natural in that greed driven environment. IFExpress has been on a mission for free airport Wi-Fi and we finally have a chance to change airports — so do your part. Remember, this is only a free service through the holidays. We recommend our readers beg their local airports and Google to keep this service alive after January 15, 2010. In many instances Google is installing the infrastructure and we fear that the airports may well turn them over to paid providers after the event closes.

There is one catch though, it is free, it is public, and there will be some bad actors trying to steal identities, passwords, and your money. There are a few safeguards and we have a link below to PCWorld’s common sense precautions you should consider if you do surf a la Google.

We should mention that Google has asked for charitable contributions in lieu of connectivity payments – they only ask that you contribute to a very worthwhile charity, Engineers Without Borders (link below). Come to think of it, a few of our readers could probably contribute an idea or two. Feel free to do so, these folks are only trying to make the world a better place thru brainpower.

• Google News Release
• Burbank Airport News Release
• PC World’s Precautions
• Virgin Airlines Release
• Engineers Without Borders
• Free Holiday WiFi

In Memoriam, we note the passing of long-time, IFE good guy, Gar Westfal. We knew him and loved the man like everybody else. Want a role model? Try Gar… he was the best!

DALLAS, Aug 21, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ — Southwest Airlines and Row 44 are continuing plans to roll out wi-fi beginning in the first quarter of 2010. Beginning this fall, Southwest will be moving to the next step of certifying Southwest’s full fleet with plans to begin fleetwide rollout of the Row 44 satellite service in the first quarter of 2010. The airline has been testing the service on four aircraft since Feb. 2009 and has received fantastic Customer feedback on the product.

“We have concluded our testing for inflight wi-fi and are very happy with both the technical performance of the system and the response of Customers who have used it,” said Dave Ridley, Southwest Airlines Senior Vice President of Marketing and Revenue Management. “We are pleased to be continuing with our plans to offer satellite-enabled broadband access through California-based Row 44.”

“Row 44 is thrilled to be the in-flight wi-fi service of choice for one of the most Customer-focused airlines in the world,” said John Guidon, Row 44 Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited about moving forward and delivering Southwest’s Customers a rich menu of in-flight connectivity and entertainment options.”

During the testing phase, Customers have been utilizing the service for anything from e-mail to streaming video. Those interested in using the service during the test period have had the opportunity to log on to the service via their own personal wi-fi enabled device (laptops, iPhones, wi-fi enabled smart phones, etc). Additionally, the airline has been testing a variety of price points for the service and will continue testing price points through the end of 2009.

Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all-Boeing 737 fleet. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation’s largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 67 cities (with service to Milwaukee starting Nov. 1, 2009) in 34 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.

Geneva, Switzerland, 26 May 2009 – EGYPTAIR and OnAir today announced agreement to install full Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir inflight passenger communications services on their fleet of twin-aisle Airbus 330-300 aircraft. These will be delivered over an 18 month period, starting August 2010, and will operate on European and North American routes as well as in the Middle East.

EGYPTAIR passengers will be able to stay connected inflight using their own mobile phones or smartphones to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages and emails, and access the Internet. Using the Internet OnAir service, passengers will be able to access the Internet just as they do on the ground by connecting their laptops either wirelessly or via a wired connection. By OnAir providing both GSM/GPRS as well as Wi-Fi Internet, EGYPTAIR’s passengers will have the broadest range of inflight connectivity options available anywhere in the world today.
EGYPTAIR’s Chairman, Captain Sherif Saad Eldin Galal, said, “We are constantly looking to improve our offering to passengers. This latest technology from OnAir helps us further differentiate our service, and enables our customers to stay in touch with colleagues, family and friends while they travel.”

“OnAir is proud to be working with EGYPTAIR,” said Benoit Debains, CEO of OnAir. “The Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir services together provide air travellers with a complete solution: a full range of service and the highest levels of performance whether they are using mobile phones, smartphones or their laptops – and with global coverage.”

Mobile OnAir uses the industry’s most advanced and extensive infrastructure for mobile communications, along with Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, high capacity services from Inmarsat 4th generation satellites. This gives EGYPTAIR passengers the best reach and performance available today.

Passenger can use Mobile OnAir to stay in touch as they fly on over 6,000 flights each month, to over 240 cities in over 50 countries across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. OnAir has operated more than 13,000 fully connected SwiftBroadband flights to date and has signed agreements with more than 15 airlines worldwide.

The EGYPTAIR announcement comes amidst mounting demand for inflight passenger communications. A growing number of commercial airlines and private aviation companies either currently offer OnAir inflight communications services or will offer them in the near future.

OnAir also serves corporate jets, private VIP and Governmental customers.

According to a recent passenger survey, 80% of passengers who have used Mobile OnAir services on selected flights would like these services to be available on every flight.

About EGYPTAIR

EGYPTAIR is the world-renowned national airline of Egypt, based in the cosmopolitan city of Cairo. In more than 76 years, EGYPTAIR has experienced extraordinary growth, taken the lead to be the first airline in the Middle East and Africa and the seventh in the world to join IATA and become a treasured brand.

Throughout its 76 years of service and, as a result of continuous investments, EGYPTAIR has successfully extended its network over the years to reach more than 1,624 weekly departures to 70 cities in 44 countries carrying more than 7.8 million passengers in 2007 /2008 with an increase of 20%. Currently EGYPTAIR has one of the most modern fleets with an average age of eight years which consists of 53 aircraft targeting to reach 75 aircrafts in 2013.

In 2004, EGYPTAIR demonstrated the scale of its commitment to the highest standards of safety by being the first IOSA certified airline in the Middle East and Africa. EGYPTAIR is a Star Alliance member since July 2008.

About OnAir

OnAir is the leading provider of inflight communications, enabling passengers to stay connected during their flight, and airlines to offer new services and generate additional revenues. Present on four of five continents, OnAir provides the only air-travel industry sponsored solution, now available to regular and low-cost airlines, to private and corporate jets, on Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and on long and short-haul flights. OnAir is the only provider of services based on SwiftBroadband, the latest high-bandwidth satellite technology from Inmarsat, which offers GSM and GPRS for voice, data and Internet.

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 SwiftBroadband services.

More information about OnAir is available at www.onair.aero

ORLANDO, Fla., and ITASCA, Ill., May 12 – AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), announced today that it will be the first major airline to offer passengers wireless, broadband Internet access on every flight.

AirTran Airways is partnering with Aircell, the leader in airborne communications for business and commercial aviation, to offer passengers full inflight Internet service across its entire fleet of Boeing 737 and 717 aircraft. All 136 AirTran Airways jets will be fully outfitted with Gogo(R) Inflight Internet service by mid-summer.

“Installing Wi-Fi on every one of our aircraft is another great example of what sets AirTran Airways apart from our competitors,” said Bob Fornaro, chairman, president and CEO of AirTran Airways. “Giving business and leisure travelers a consistent, high-quality experience at a low price is a top priority. We feel that Wi-Fi on every flight gives us a distinct competitive advantage over other airlines. Our passengers will know with confidence that no matter which flight they are on, the airplane cabin will be their mobile office, social network, online mall or whatever they want it to be.”

AirTran Airways passengers will have full Internet access including: Web, e-mail, instant messaging and access to corporate e-mail and network systems (virtual private networks) — through their Wi-Fi enabled laptops, smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Gogo Inflight Internet will be available for a small fee based on the length of the flight. “AirTran is known for catering to the needs of its passengers with style. Both its choice and rapid deployment of Gogo Inflight Internet service are testaments to AirTran’s long-standing commitment to offer the best inflight experience possible,” said Jack Blumenstein, president and CEO of Aircell. “Now that Gogo is here and available, passenger demand has taken off, exceeding even our own expectations. We look forward to enabling AirTran to provide the productivity, entertainment, information and social connectivity its passengers want.”

Installing Wi-Fi on every AirTran aircraft is the latest in a series of features the Company makes available to all passengers. Other features on every AirTran fight include: assigned seating, Business Class, XM Satellite Radio and more than 22 varieties of Coca-Cola products on North America’s newest all-Boeing fleet.

Over the past month, AirTran Airways teased the possibility of Wi-Fi being added to its list of amenities as part of the Company’s everyflight.com advertising campaign. During the campaign, AirTran received more than 30,000 suggestions from interested consumers.

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI) and a Fortune 1000 company, has been ranked the number one low cost carrier in the Airline Quality Rating study for the past two years. The airline offers coast-to-coast flights on North America’s newest all-Boeing fleet with Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit http://www.airtran.com.

Aircell is the world’s leading provider of airborne communications. As winner of an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006, Aircell has built a revolutionary mobile broadband network for commercial and business aviation. In 2008, the Aircell(R) Network and its inflight portal, Gogo(R), revolutionized the commercial airline passenger flight experience by delivering a robust Internet experience at 35,000 feet. In addition, the Aircell Network provides airlines with connectivity to operations and a path to enhanced cabin services such as video, audio, television and more. A similar feature set is available to Business aircraft operators. Aircell has facilities in Broomfield, Colorado, and Itasca, Illinois. Aircell’s vision is to give everyone the ability to stay in touch, in flight(R). For more information about Aircell, please visit http://www.aircell.com.

Gogo(R), powered by Aircell, turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot with true inflight Internet access. Passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs, can surf the Web, check e-mail, instant message, access a corporate VPN and more. For more information about Gogo, please visit http://www.gogoinflight.com/ or follow Gogo on Twitter: @gogoinflight.

Bonn/Hamburg, 31 March 2009 – T-Mobile presents its inflight communication solution at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Together with its partners, VT Miltope and ViaSat, T-Mobile shows the latest inflight broadband and GSM telephony solution for all major passenger aircraft.

With this solution, connectivity for the traveller can be expanded: With connectivity on the road, on the train or at the airport and now also in the sky the traveller enjoys seamless mobility. Through WiFi Hotspot in aircraft, passengers will have the possibility of broadband access via their own laptop or smartphone during their flight. Complemented by a GSM telephony solution, passengers can use their mobile phones to receive and send both text messages and emails, or do voice calls in exactly the same way as on the ground. Business travellers can stay in touch with their business partners, leisure travellers will be able to receive information on their travel destination and families stay connected with their loved ones. The inflight broadband solution presented in Hamburg with on-board portals can provide airlines with a competitive advantage and allow them to excel in customer services. Through the WiFi portal, passengers will be able to check real-time information quickly for connection flights, browse for onboard shopping products, or utilize loyalty programme incentives.

The combined effort of T-Mobile and its partners result in a unique offering for all airlines: An integrated, future proof connectivity solution that caters to all passenger connectivity and communication needs under one brand. T-Mobile contributes the expertise of a mass market mobile operator and the knowledge of how to design user friendly communication services. This will help ensure that the needs of the end-customer will be satisfied. T-Mobile’s sophisticated billing system will allow airlines to implement various payment methods. Interface with the airlines’ loyalty programs will also be possible. With these capabilities T-Mobile is able to accommodate the increasing demand by airlines for a worry-free end-to-end in-flight connectivity solution.

T-Mobile’s initiative is driven by a clear vision of tomorrow’s inflight entertainment situation. Passengers are expecting universal connectivity for all their phones and devices, bandwidth like at home and an intuitive user experience. Instead of offline in-seat devices, customers want to use the services and information they are used to for making flights as entertaining and efficient as possible.