Airlines Continue to Roll Out Wi-Fi Connectivity

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In June, The Goods featured a story about North American airlines that are offering Internet access on flights. Recently, two foreign carriers, British Airways and Lufthansa, joined the race to keep passengers connected in the skies.

Yesterday, German airline Lufthansa announced that passengers will be able to browse the Internet on a laptop or Web-enabled handheld device and send text messages and data using their cell phones thanks to Panasonic's FlyNet satellite technology. Lufthansa introduced a similar service in 2004, but the airline's former partner, Boeing, cancelled it in 2006. Lufthansa, which hasn't said how much the Wi-Fi access will cost, expects the service to be available in mid-2010.

Meanwhile, passengers on British Airways' new all-business-class flight from London City Airport to New York's JFK, which took to the air for the first time in late September, will be able to send emails and texts and surf the Web, all while reclining on the plane's 32 fully flat beds and enjoying the "best of British produce and regional specialties," according to a press release. One-way fares on the luxury flight start at $2,065. Hopefully passengers will be too busy tweeting about their kidney pie and stuffed baked potatoes to notice the New York-bound flight's pesky refueling stop in Shannon, Ireland!

Nadine Heintz

The Goods is focused exclusively on products and services for business owners. We won't ignore the latest netbook or the hottest smartphone, but we'll also examine the services, software, and Web-based tools that can help make your business succeed. Nadine Heintz, a senior editor at Inc., edits The Goods, as well as Quick Hits. Send suggestions, comments, and deals to nheintz@inc.com.