AirTran Airways Wi-Fi

AirTran Airways made a fantastic announcement today that makes my heart go pitter patter. AirTran is now offering wireless broadband internet access on every single flight. That’s right, you don’t have to be traveling between certain destinations or hoping for a certain aircraft that has been fitted with the technology, you can get it on EVERY flight.

As will all the big guys in the aviation industry, AirTran is working with Aircell to provide the service. Each and every Boeing aircraft in AirTran’s fleet will offer Gogo Inflight Internet service by mid-summer.

Installing Wi-Fi on every one of our aircraft is another great example of what sets AirTran Airways apart from our competitors,” said Bob Fornaro, chairman, president and CEO of AirTran Airways. “Giving business and leisure travelers a consistent, high-quality experience at a low price is a top priority. We feel that Wi-Fi on every flight gives us a distinct competitive advantage over other airlines. Our passengers will know with confidence that no matter which flight they are on, the airplane cabin will be their mobile office, social network, online mall or whatever they want it to be.

What can you do with this internet? Will it be limited to email and certain websites? According to the press release, you’ll have access to the web, e-mail, instant messaging and access to corporate e-mail and network systems (virtual private networks). You can access the above via your Wi-Fi enabled laptop, smartphone or PDAs (or all of them if you’re really geeky).

Gogo Inflight Internet will be available for a small fee based on the length of the flight, which is no surprise coming from an airline that charges you for everything.