Daniel Michaels and Andy Pasztor Wall Street Journal October 12 2009 LUFTHANSA TO UPGRADE TO BETTER WIRELESS CONNECTIONS Background Plans to offer most extensive array of cellphone and internet services available Make calls Send emails Surf web Download videos Partnership with Panasonic Tens of millions of dollars to be invested in FlyNet Antennas alone cost 100 to 250K per plane Heavier which increases fuel costs The Past Previous efforts to offer a similar feature have failed Boeing spent over 1B in 6 years on Connexion Lufthansa turned the system off in 2006 The Service Multiple packages available 3 a minute Internet at 12 hour or 22 for full day 30 less than Connexion but twice the price of less capable similar domestic services Access for handhelds a new focus The Environment Four other electronics companies have similar capabilities More than twelve other airlines have made similar announcements Gogo to be available in 800 Delta and American jets Southwest and Alaskan Air signed with Row 44 OnAir has signed with the likes of Ryanair and Emirates Airlines Inflight poker and shopping Questions How much of an advantage is Lufthansa likely to gain from this rollout Who is likely to use such a service What does the future hold for online wireless services
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