JetBlue is about to launch a beta Airbus 320 plane that features in flight wireless. Pretty cool. Check it out here.
In a welcome first for domestic airlines, JetBlue will be rolling out free in-flight Yahoo IM and email services to passengers packing WiFi-equipped devices, starting aboard its new “BetaBlue” Airbus A320. Once this test-bed passenger jet reaches 10,000 feet, an in-plane network with three in-ceiling access points is activated, allowing most any wireless gadget with a Flash-enabled browser to view specialized versions of either Yahoo Messenger or Mail through a universal landing page. What’s more, owners of certain BlackBerry handsets like the 8820 or Curve 8320 can keep feeding their addictions non-stop thanks to an agreement between JetBlue and RIM.
Although I do think that it is good that finally some airline has got their act together and made this unprecedented step forward, it is a shame that they always have to go and spoil this sort of thing by making all sorts of propietary deals with different web services and different product manufacturers. Lets face it, the plane has an established internet connection – so if it wasn’t for them not allowing you to visit other web pages, you would be able to do so quite freely.
Still, I can’t imagine that other airlines will want to lag behind. Probably won’t be long now until all airplanes go wireless – and then market competition will force things to open up a bit.