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Break in Connexion from December
Well, at least it's free

By Jo Best

Published: Friday 13 October 2006

Connexion by Boeing, the soon to be defunct in-flight wi-fi service, has announced to customers that its last day of operation will be 31 December.

Boeing announced earlier this year that it intended to close the service but did not disclose if another operator would take over operations. The airline has now confirmed there will be no saviour for in-flight wi-fi and Connexion is to permanently shut up shop at the end of the year.

However, those who enjoy mile-high surfing will have something to sweeten the pill - from now until its closure Connexion will offer users internet access for free on airlines carrying the service.

Among the carriers affected will be Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS and Korean Air, which has threatened to sue over the closure of the Boeing subsidiary.

While in-flight broadband has struggled to part travellers from their money, in-flight mobile has taken off. Both Ryanair and Qantas revealed in August they are planning to offer mobile connectivity in some aircraft.