In-flight Net access has many glitches

By Michelle Kessler
USA Today

Associated Press reporter Rachel Konrad surfs the Web while on board a Boeing 737. The Boeing service allows passengers with wirelessly enabled laptops to surf the entire Web. Associated Press

Recently, I sent e-mail, checked eBay auctions and even wrote this story while flying in a Boeing test plane equipped with Internet access for passengers. At least eight major airlines are testing in-flight Internet or e-mail systems, which they say will be widely available next year.

When it worked, it was great. It let bored passengers get a lot of work done. Eventually, it could be used to show movies or make cheap in-flight phone calls.

But the service was hard to set up and use, and was easily derailed by computer glitches. More problems could arise as this service and others gear up for widespread use. That could deter frequent fliers such as Melbourne, Fla., engineer Richard Dutchik, who has been eagerly waiting for in-flight Web access but says he won't use it if it's too cumbersome or expensive.

Airlines are trying at least three systems. Lufthansa, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines System are testing the Boeing service, called Connexion. It lets passengers with plugged-in or wirelessly enabled laptops surf the entire Internet. United Airlines and Continental Airlines are joining with Verizon to offer limited Internet access to laptops plugged in to seatback phones. Cathay Pacific Airways and Virgin Atlantic are testing onboard e-mail and messaging services from Seattle start-up Tenzing. But each system faces challenges such as:

Slow speeds. The wireless technology Boeing uses has the potential to be as zippy as a DSL line or cable modem. But on last week's flight, speeds were closer to dial-up Internet service. Since everybody on a plane shares the same connection, that means "somebody kicks on streaming video, and service slows to a crawl," says Gartner analyst William Clark.

Verizon updates most of the Web pages it offers every 15 minutes. Tenzing only offers e-mail and messaging, not Web access. Newer technology could fix the problem.

Technical glitches. Passengers on board the test flight couldn't log on for half an hour because of computer problems. Once the system was up, it took a technician about 10 minutes of changing my laptop's settings to get it to recognize the plane's network.

That caused problems once I returned to my office. The changes kept my laptop from connecting to the Web the way it usually does. It took hours to fix it.

Similar glitches have also been reported with other systems. The companies say most bugs will be fixed by next year.

High cost. While many frequent fliers would like Web access as a free perk, Boeing says they are likely to pay $25 to $35 for a single leg of an international flight. Domestic flights would cost less.

Verizon's service costs $6 a flight. But passengers can only access a few Web sites chosen by Verizon. Tenzing charges about $1 for each e-mail sent or received.

Chris Kozup, an analyst for the research firm Meta Group, says $7 to $12 for one day of unlimited usage is what most passengers will be willing to pay.

Disconnected systems. Most public Internet access systems are not linked to one another. That means a business traveler moving through an airport might have to log on separately to different systems in the terminal, a frequent flier lounge, a Starbucks and on the plane. Each system requires a new set-up and fee. Boeing and other Internet providers say they're working on a solution.

Still, travelers such as Patrick O'Toole say they're excited about on-board Internet. Cheap, easy-to-use access "would be terrific!" says the Minneapolis consultant.