Delta to introduce free onboard Wi-Fi on domestic flights

 

Delta said it would offer fast, free Wi-Fi in partnership with T-Mobile to all customers on board most domestic mainline flights beginning Feb. 1, 2023– the first major U.S. airline to offer free Wi-Fi as a core element of its customer experience.1

The airline will offer the service on more than 700 Viasat-equipped aircraft by the end of 2023. Delta also announced plans to bring free Wi-Fi on international and regional aircraft by the end of 2024.2

“At work, at home and everywhere in between, connectivity is essential to daily life, and your journey on Delta should be no different,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. “Our vision has long been to deliver an experience at 30,000 feet that feel similar to what our customers have available on the ground.”

READ ALSO:  FAAN sets to implement Osinbajo's executive orders

Designed to fuel Delta’s vision of more personalized travel, customers will log in using their Delta SkyMiles® account or join SkyMiles on the ground or in the air for free to connect.

“At T-Mobile, we believe staying connected while traveling should be an easy, seamless experience,” said Mike Sievert, T-Mobile CEO. “T-Mobile customers already get free in-flight Wi-Fi and now we’re partnering with Delta to bring that experience to all customers — regardless of their wireless provider — so that anyone flying Delta can enjoy online access from takeoff to touchdown.”

Delta also announced its plans for Delta Sync Exclusives hub — a new SkyMiles-unlocked mobile platform coming this spring aimed at elevating the in-flight connectivity experience with exclusive offers, access, and entertainment from beloved brands that are mainstays of everyday life. Delta will launch Delta Sync Exclusives hub later this spring.

READ ALSO:  Overland Airways commits to ECOWAS community objective

 

The culture of innovation that fueled journey

Delta has long used technology as a tool to further its mission of connecting people and redefining consumer expectations.

Working with engineers from Viasat — the satellite internet service provider behind the airline’s connectivity revolution — teams at Delta have applied a rigorous approach to testing, learning, and scaling best-in-class in-flight connectivity, with an eye toward rolling out the new system on more routes at an unprecedented scale by the end of 2024.

From development to implementation, the scale of the airline’s global operation required a Delta-led team of engineers, developers, designers, product leaders, and technicians working tirelessly to build, install and deploy an ecosystem of technologies fit to unlock the future of travel.

READ ALSO:  FAAN: Case Of Throwing Away Baby With Bath Water?

“We didn’t just want free Wi-Fi to offer base-level service – we wanted it to be transformative for the entire onboard experience,” said Bastian. “It is imperative all customers onboard can enjoy their favorite content just as they would at home, and we’ve put this system through meticulous tests to make that possible,” said Bastian.

Wole Shadare