Hello from Delta WHQ in Atlanta…where it’s a hot and humid 94 degrees. It’s time for another inflight Wi-Fi update…here goes:
Our first widebody with Wi-Fi – ship 139 – will be the 767-300 prototype. Installation is scheduled to be complete on July 9 with the test flight scheduled for July 13. On the narrowbody side, the 737-700 prototype is scheduled for early September. 737-800 production is expected to start on July 26.
On the pre-merger Northwest fleet, engineering teams have been establishing the scope of work for the 757-200 fleet. The A319/A320 final design review is scheduled for July 16.
We’ve now completed 56.7% of the pre-merger Delta domestic mainline fleet with 183 aircraft now equipped with Wi-Fi.
Fleet Deets:
MD88 – 117 aircraft
MD90 – 16 aircraft
B737-800: 1 aircraft
B757-200 – 49 aircraft
Tail Numbers:
MD88: All
MD90: All
B737-800: 3742
B757-200: 604, 608, 610, 615, 617, 619, 621, 625, 628-630, 632-633, 638-641, 644-645, 647, 649-651, 654-655, 667, 672, 679, 684-685, 690-692, 693-694, 696-697, 6701- 6702, 6705-6706, 6708, 6711-6714, 6716, 6902 and 6904.
Chris Babb
Sr. Product Manager
In-Flight Entertainment
June 28th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Hi Chris,
Thanks for keeping us updated!
I’m curious, I’ll be taking a flight overseas come early September and am having a difficult time trying to figure out if our plane may even have the possibility of having wifi on it. It’s a 757-200 flying out of JFK to Malaga, Spain. Any helpful hints how to try to figure this out?
Thanks to Delta for implementing this service. I’m being patient, I swear. Just curious more than anything.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
How long b4 the NWA planes see it?
June 29th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Carlie, I believe the service is for US Domestic flights only not international flights.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Do you have Wi-Fi on board on the non-stop flight between Dubai and Atlanta?
June 30th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Since Delta’s GoGo In-Flight WiFi system works on a tower-based network, it’s impossible to offer this service internationally (meaning any international flights). As of right now, towers are only located within the United States (not including Alaska and Hawaii). Could this service eventually be launched internationally… sure, but GoGo will have to make agreements with each respective country they expect to plant towers on. Also, I would assume it would be very difficult to plant a tower in the middle of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans… so service wouldn’t even be available when flying over oceans.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Shijaz, I don’t think so.
From what I have followed so far, HWGeek is right in comment #3. Wifi is for US domestic flights only.
So, sorry, does not sound like it would be available on a flight to/from Dubai.
June 30th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
When are the NWA planes going to start coming online?
June 30th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
The GoGo Wi-Fi service is only available over the continental U.S. (and maybe parts of Canada?) which is why it is only being installed on the domestic fleet.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Wi-Fi on board uses a technology similar to the cellphone services, based on ground towers. International flights won’t be able to have the GoGo Service on board.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
As far as I know, only the domestic aircraft will be retrofitted with WiFi(only works on the mainland US). International aircraft will not be retrofitted with WiFi, so shijaz and carlie, the answer is no.
July 1st, 2009 at 3:56 am
I wonder how Emirates (the airline of Dubai) offers on-board internet access on trips to the United States. They might be using some kind of (satellite?) technology that doesnt use towers on the ground.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Hi Chris,
My flight says I will be flying on a Aircraft E75, but I don’t see that anywhere on the list. Do you happen to know if this will have wifi on this plane?
Thanks!
July 1st, 2009 at 3:36 pm
The Embraer 175 (E75) is operated by Delta Connection so no WiFi will not be available (as of right now).
July 1st, 2009 at 4:52 pm
cody: That is a E-175, which is a regional aircraft. None of the regional aircraft will be receiving wifi, as of right now, since they do not fly very long legs.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Ahhh, I see.
Alright thank you!
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
shijaz: You are correct about Emirates. They use INMARSAT for the link, but I’m not sure of the service provider. I believe that they are also allowing GSM phone calls. The problem with using a satellite connection is the cost. There are other airlines who are using satellite based connections for their in-flight entertainment. I’m sure Delta is looking into it and analyzing the costs involved with deploying this on their international legs.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Why is the installation of this taking so long? What is the expected 100% completion ETA?
July 5th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
From a cursory review of the archives, they are averaging over a plane per day.
July 5th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
The installation is taking so long because Delta has a very large fleet. If you include Northwests fleet (numbers above don’t include NWA’s fleet) Delta has the largest fleet in the world.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:22 am
Chris–Price point feels fair. I used the service on my laptop w/the dlwifi25 coupon on a flight this weekend from JFK-DCA. The service was swift and simple to activate. For $7.50ish (or even the full $9.99) it was well worth it.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Any plans to add it to 767-400?