Boeing in-flight Wi-Fi takes off next month

Connexion by Boeing has revealed the prices of its in-flight Wi-Fi, just weeks before the first Lufthansa long-haul flight takes off with the kit aboard.

If work hangs heavy over your head and you don't fancy the movie, you can have unlimited access on flights lasting over six hours for $29.95. For short-haul flights, three to six hours, the cost is $19.95.

And if you just want to test the waters, Boeing offers a starter package of $9.95 for 30 minutes and 25 cents a minute thereafter.

Lufthansa, which trialled the system late last year, will be first in the air with the service next month, with SAS close behind. According to a Boeing spokesman, Japan Airlines and ANA have signed agreements for the service and Singapore Airlines and China Airlines have "expressed intent".

BA, the other carrier to trial the system, will make a decision this autumn. It currently has a deal with BT to roll-out Wi-Fi hotspots to 80 of its passenger lounges around the world.

Boeing quoted Forrester Research to the effect that 38 per cent of frequent travellers would pay at least $25 per flight for "full, high-speed access to the internet and their corporate network" - which could explain the pricing structure.

Connexion uses satellite connection to offer speeds around 156Kbps. The system allows for a Wi-Fi connection or an Ethernet plug-in. Both Lufthansa and SAS have opted for the Wi-Fi-based system.

A Connexion spokesman said that the Japanese carriers had expressed interest in the plug-in Ethernet system.

Lufthansa expects that it will take until 2005 to install the system in all of its 80 long-haul aircraft.