American Airlines plans to begin upgrading its regional fleet with Wi-Fi internet next year. A total of 500 machines are affected. The carrier assumes that it will take around two years until the project is completed.
American Airlines relies on technology from Intelsat, which will enable Wi-Fi internet to be offered on regional flights. The carrier promises that high speeds, which should also enable the use of streaming services, will be available.
The upgrade of the machines used in regional transport follows the fact that the larger aircraft have already been equipped with WiFi technology. All new additions come from the factory with the appropriate technology on board.
The current upgrade of the regional fleet also includes all aircraft operated by subcontractors. Given the large number of machines, it is a large, expensive and time-consuming project. However, it is also clear that individual copies that are due to be phased out will no longer be retrofitted.
In recent years, Internet above the clouds has been on the rise. However, the carriers and their technical service providers have not yet succeeded in turning this into a cash cow. Especially on short and medium-haul flights, some providers in Europe charge very high prices while others offer at least basic services free of charge. The Lufthansa Group will also provide a basic offer free of charge in the future.
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