Some airline passengers last week got their first taste of a new system on JetBlue Airways for sending e-mail and text messages in-flight, and Denver-based Frontier Airlines plans to launch a similar system next year.
JetBlue launched its free system Tuesday on an Airbus A320 jet equipped with a wireless network that allows customers to use e-mail and instant messaging on in-flight versions of Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger. Those with Wi-Fi-enabled BlackBerry phones also can access their e-mail. JetBlue partnered with BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion, Yahoo and its in-flight television subsidiary LiveTV for the service.
Frontier uses LiveTV service for its in-flight television, and plans to eventually launch LiveTV’s instant messaging and e-mail system, possibly next year.
Some media reports described bugs with the connectivity on JetBlue. “Hopefully, the kinks will be worked out by the time we get it on our planes,” said Frontier spokesman Joe Hodas.
Meanwhile, other carriers, including American Airlines and Virgin America, are preparing to launch a broader Internet service in 2008 with service from AirCell, which has offices in Louisville. AirCell won a spectrum license in a U.S. government auction of airwaves last year for the service, while LiveTV won a smaller portion of the spectrum.
