Delta Air Lines announced on Thursday, May 9, 2019, that it will start testing free Wi-Fi on domestic flights beginning today, May 13th. This is a benefit to customers since Wi-Fi on most flights still costs money.
The testing of free Wi-Fi will be conducted on 55 domestic flights and last only two weeks during the month of May. Please note: Not all flights will receive free connection; Test flight segments will change daily as part of the test structure, but customers will be notified by Delta if they’re being tapped for the test via email and a Fly Delta app push notification prior to their flight and upon visiting the Wi-Fi portal on board.
“Customers are accustomed to having access to free Wi-Fi during nearly every other aspect of their journey, and Delta believes it should be free when flying, too,” said Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Director of Onboard Product. “Testing will be key to getting this highly complex program right – this takes a lot more creativity, investment and planning to bring to life than a simple flip of a switch.”
The reason behind the test is to find out how well the Wi-Fi actually works and to get customer feedback.
“As with any test in uncharted territory, Delta will rely heavily on customer and employee feedback to navigate how to best make free in-flight Wi-Fi a reality,” Dimbiloglu said.
Delta customers will be able to check emails, engage with social media, message, shop online or read articles online during their flight, however, fliers will not be able to stream video.
Currently, Delta offers Wi-Fi on nearly all flights across its domestic and international networks and has installed high-speed 2Ku on 60 percent of mainline aircraft. The purchase of Wi-Fi and free mobile messaging will remain available throughout the test timeframe, just as they are today.
