The blossoming market for wifi aboard transoceanic flights gained another huge entrant Thursday, as Delta announced it would offer internet service on its longhaul fleet beginning early next year.
Gogo will install its wifi system on Delta’s entire long-haul fleet, which consists of over 150 Boeing 747s, 757s, 767s and 777s and Airbus A330s.
Delta and Gogo already offer wifi service on the Atlanta-based carrier’s entire fleet of mainline domestic aircraft, as well as most of its regional jets. Unlike the ground-based domestic wifi system, which uses an antenna on the bottom of each aircraft, these planes will connect through a satellite transceiver enclosed on a hump on top of the fuselage.
Nearly 1,000 Delta planes will be connected once the international expansion is complete, giving it the world’s largest wifi-enabled fleet.
“Delta’s advancements in technology have been a key component to our improvements in the customer travel experience and have been cited by J.D. Power and Associates and PCWorld magazine as important aspects of travel,” said Tim Mapes, Delta’s senior vice president – Marketing, in a statement. “With our expansion of international Wi-Fi options across our fleet, Delta customers will be able to stay connected throughout their journey.”
United Airlines was the first US carrier to announce wifi on overseas flights in November 2011. American Airlines later pledged to do the same on its new Boeing 777-300ER jets which will be delivered this year.
