More Inflight internet access...finally!

[Hopeful]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-exp...ml?x=0&.v=2

 

[FA Mikey]

Also the 15, 767-200's flying transcons.

 

[jimntx]

On the last two S80s I've worked that had the service installed, the service wasn't working.

 

[Birdman]

On the last two S80s I've worked that had the service installed, the service wasn't working.

You do know it doesn't work until the aircraft is at 10,000 feet unless you link up with the APCU and fool it into thinking its in the air? Also, it takes 15 minutes for the system to boot up before you can even fool it into the air.

 

[The Dissident]

Also costs 10 bucks to use it according to the passenger next to me that considered using it a little while ago. Saw the price and it was "No thanks". Another money loosing proposition made possible by the marketing department.

 

[FA Mikey]

Who says it is losing money?

 

[eolesen]

Maybe too much for the commuters and the leisure travelers, but corporate types like me will gladly pay that $10 and expense it, especially if it means another two or three billable hours (at $100-200 per hour) to a client, or not having to spend those two or three hours doing the same work in a hotel room or at home...

 

[Flyboy4u]

You do know it doesn't work until the aircraft is at 10,000 feet unless you link up with the APCU and fool it into thinking its in the air? Also, it takes 15 minutes for the system to boot up before you can even fool it into the air.

[/quoteNahhh..No w"AA"yaa..You a can't be serious..

 

[Hopeful]

I don't think $10 is all that unreasonable considering what one would pay for a meal or a snack on board. I guess you can't expect to get internet access for free when there is a contractor supplying the service.
But then again JetBlue bought the DirectTV company and hence no charge for TV.

Maybe AA should consider the same option.

 

[jimntx]

You do know it doesn't work until the aircraft is at 10,000 feet unless you link up with the APCU and fool it into thinking its in the air? Also, it takes 15 minutes for the system to boot up before you can even fool it into the air.

Oh, gee. Even though the part about 10,000feet is in the PA I read to the passengers, I would have never known that if you hadn't told me. P.S. If it is working it doesn't have to boot up after 10,000 ft. The on-off switch is wired shut in the on position; so, if it's going to work, it's already working by the time we get there.

Also, just FYI, I spent over 20 years in the Information Technology industry. When I say the system wasn't working, I meant just that. It didn't work.

E, it may be worth it to you, but so far the response has been underwhelming on the flights I've worked that had it. I even make a pa that I have a coupon code for a discount on the service for first time users. The routes I've been flying this month have had F/C full of PL and EP passengers. Only 2 of them have expressed any interest in the service when it was available. (And, one of those was one of the instances where the system was inop.) Quite frankly, I am very surprised. When a flight is 2.5 to 3.5 hours in length, I would have guessed that a lot of people would want to use it.

 

[Birdman]

Oh, gee. Even though the part about 10,000feet is in the PA I read to the passengers, I would have never known that if you hadn't told me. P.S. If it is working it doesn't have to boot up after 10,000 ft. The on-off switch is wired shut in the on position; so, if it's going to work, it's already working by the time we get there.

Also, just FYI, I spent over 20 years in the Information Technology industry. When I say the system wasn't working, I meant just that. It didn't work.

E, it may be worth it to you, but so far the response has been underwhelming on the flights I've worked that had it. I even make a pa that I have a coupon code for a discount on the service for first time users. The routes I've been flying this month have had F/C full of PL and EP passengers. Only 2 of them have expressed any interest in the service when it was available. (And, one of those was one of the instances where the system was inop.) Quite frankly, I am very surprised. When a flight is 2.5 to 3.5 hours in length, I would have guessed that a lot of people would want to use it.

Sorry tex, thought you might be a mechanic wondering why their laptop just wouldn't link up. I'm sure all our planes in the air equiped with Aircell are not always able to "get a signal" from the ground. I don't know what you've been instructed to do in case of outage, but, a reboot of the system might bring it back to life. Perhaps that's why we've heard f/a's are frequently turning the switch off.

 

[AA767JET]

I don't think $10 is all that unreasonable considering what one would pay for a meal or a snack on board. I guess you can't expect to get internet access for free when there is a contractor supplying the service.
But then again JetBlue bought the DirectTV company and hence no charge for TV.

Maybe AA should consider the same option.

Can non-revs get the service and do no revs have to pay for it?

 

[jlynne]

E, it may be worth it to you, but so far the response has been underwhelming on the flights I've worked that had it. I even make a pa that I have a coupon code for a discount on the service for first time users. The routes I've been flying this month have had F/C full of PL and EP passengers. Only 2 of them have expressed any interest in the service when it was available. (And, one of those was one of the instances where the system was inop.) Quite frankly, I am very surprised. When a flight is 2.5 to 3.5 hours in length, I would have guessed that a lot of people would want to use it.

I've had a completely different experience. Every flight that I've worked where the service was installed, it has worked and the passengers have loved it. I've had several use the service and not one complaint about the cost. I even had a passenger stop me in the terminal to ask me if we were going to get the service on all our planes. He said he flew LAX-ORD every week and was disappointed that the new 737 he flew in on did not have the service.

 

[Mach85ER]

Isn't it ironic, that on the internet available transcon flights where lines of thunderstorms are present across the country, the passengers with laptops
are going to have a better picture of the weather than the pilots up front.

 

[Birdman]

I hear that MCI has started the Aircell installations again. Does anyone know how its going? We're hearing they're working all three shifts 8 hrs a day. Any overtime?