Canadians get international in-flight Wi-Fi

September 15, 2016

Air Canada will be offering in-flight Wi-Fi on its plane journeys from spring 2017, making it the first international airline to offer this service.

Customers on a number of ‘select flights’ will be able to surf the internet, check their email, send instant messages, and join video conferences.

Inflight surfing is offered in partnership with equipment provider Aircell.

Called ‘GoGo’, it will cost passengers $12.95 per flight.

The only service that will be blocked is VoIP (voice over internet protocol) calls – not because of network capacity issues, but so that aircraft passengers aren’t disturbed by inflight telephone conversations.

Although a number of providers in the US already offer inflight Wi-Fi, Air Canada is the first Canadian carrier to do so.

It is also the first international carrier – although ‘international’ in this case means flights between Canada and the US.

Air Canada vice-president Charles Mckee said the decision to offer Wi-Fi was made to enhance customers’ travel experience.

He added that aeroplanes are the ‘last bastion’ lacking connection to the internet.