Continental Airlines provided an update Jan. 21 on the status of various onboard technology services.
The airline will begin this summer installing Gogo Inflight Internet service on the carrier’s 21 Boeing 757-300 aircraft. Powered by Aircell network, the Wi-Fi service will be available in the lower 48 states — the continental U.S. — starting at $4.95, depending on the flight length.
Around these parts — North America — Air Canada, AirTran, American Airlines, Delta, United and Virgin America offer Gogo Wi-Fi at least on some flights. US Airways plans to introduce Gogo Internet service on its 50 A321 aircraft “early in 2010.”
Continental currently offers DirecTV on 53 aircraft, the airline says. The airline has finished installing DirecTV on all of its Boeing 737-900ER aircraft, and plans to complete installations on its Boeing 737 Next-Generation aircraft by the end of 2010.
First-class passengers get DirecTV for the same price as a glass of champagne — for free — and coach passengers pay $6 to go channel surfing.
All of these services — including anything purchased onboard except duty-free items — must be purchased by credit or debit cards because Continental says it has completed its transition to a cashless cabin.
Related posts:
so if Delta is a cashless cabin how does an unaccompanied minor pay then?
Inflight internet is the funniest thing. First their was that dial-in thing I forget the name of (out of SEA maybe? I remember using it in the 2002 or whatever on UA), then Boeing does the big push with the LH trial (which I used flying BOS-MUC and loved), and they pull out because “there’s nothing there” or whatever and *then* like the next day EVERYBODY starts doing it. I know part of this is the spectrum issue and the cost must be a lot lower now, but the Boeing service was fantastic and it’s sort of a shame that they iced it.
Milind: It’s Continental with the cashless cabin referenced above, and I’m checking with them to get an answer to your question about how unaccompanied minors would pay the fees. Well, we know they wouldn’t be buying any beer or Gin and Tonics, but I’m checking on the rest of possible purchases.
Ah Stuart, I bet Boeing regrets that business decision about Wi-Fi. Sounds kind of odd.
The first dial-in service was Tenzing. It just came back to me. That was back when there were phones in the seatbacks. And a semblance of inflight service, but I digress…
Milind: A Continental spokeswoman says the following about how kids and others might pay for DirecTV in the airline’s cashless cabins:
“We are looking at ways to take other forms of payment for DIRECTV such as pre-paying online or with Continental Currency that their parents may purchase for them at airport kiosks.”
So, it looks like Continental is aware of the issue and working on solutions.
Thanks for the update! cheers
On a Continental flight in December of over 3 hours duration with DirecTV available in the seat back , I did not see one person utilizing the service. But lots of Kindles, iPads, etc.
Hmmm…