It’s been another extremely busy week for the airline with the summer travel season in full swing. In-flight Wi-Fi installations aren’t slowing down either with an additional 10 aircraft outfitted with Wi-Fi in just the last six days. So let’s break it down by the numbers…
Stats as of July 15:
- 205 Delta planes flying with Wi-Fi
- 63.5% of the pre-merger Delta domestic mainline fleet
- 700+ Wi-Fi flights every day
The remainder of the domestic fleet is scheduled for completion by the fall and Wi-Fi installations are scheduled for completion on about 200 pre-merger Northwest planes by summer 2010. Once complete, Delta will offer Wi-Fi on more than 500 aircraft and 1,300 flights per day.
The first 767-300 (ship 138) with Wi-Fi successfully completed flight tests, however it will be a few more weeks before you’ll be able to tweet from a 763 at 35,000 feet. That’s because the Wi-Fi system will remain deactivated until the FAA provides a supplemental type certificate (STC).
Moving back to the narrowbody fleet…the A319/A320 final design review is scheduled for July 16; The DC9-50 survey is scheduled for July 23; and the B737-700 prototype unit is set for early September.
But wait there’s more! As a direct result of customer feedback, Aircell and Delta also launched two new pricing options on Wednesday to better serve customers’ needs on flights of varying lengths.
The Flight Pass, which sells for $5.95, is available for short-haul flights of 1½ hours or less. The new 24-Hour Pass for $12.95 connects any Wi-Fi-enabled device during a 24-hour period on any Wi-Fi-equipped Delta flight.
A 30-Day Pass that allows unlimited Internet service during a 30-day period sells for $49.95. And we’re still offering standard mid-range (for flights of about 1½ to three hours) and long-haul Gogo Flight Pass pricing plans at $9.95 and $12.95. Offers and prices subject to change. Use of the Gogo service is subject to terms of use available at gogoinflight.com.
So…that’s it for this week’s update…let us know what you think of the new pricing options!
Fleet Deets:
MD88: 117 A/C
MD90: 16 A/C
B737-800: 1 A/C (awaiting STC)
B757-200: 70 A/C
B767-300: 1 A/C (awaiting STC)
MD88 Tail Numbers: All
MD90 Tail Numbers: All
B737-800 Tail Number: 3742.
B757-200 Tail Numbers: 602, 608-610, 614-615, 617, 619, 621, 625-633, 636-641, 644-645, 647, 649-656, 667, 672, 674, 677-679, 684-685, 690-694, 696-699, 6701-6716, 6902, 6904
B767-300 Tail Number: 138
Chris B.
Sr. Product Manager
In-Flight Entertainment
July 16th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Chris B.: Thanks very much for the update. I’m excited to see that the DC9-50 will be in scope! Now you just need to move on to the CR9 and E75/E70
July 16th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Chris- this is wonderful! Fingers crossed my next flight will be on one of the equiped planes.
I know your main focus at the moment is mainline Delta and NWA, but wanted to see if there’s been any thought to equipping select Delta Connection a/c with Wifi? I realize that especially on the CJR2′s it’d be rather difficult to justify the cost of the equipment with the low passenger capacity, but some of the longer flights borderline on dreadful on in the small cabins with no IFE, no WiFi, and no EATS menu to choose from (though the FA’s on these flights are normally make up for it with their lively personalities- shouts out to Carol who often flies MDT-CVG).
Even if WiFi isn’t in the cards, how about some Delta audio channels?
July 16th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
During your implementation phase of Wifi, is there anyway to know if a specific DL flight has the connection. I travel often and have options on flights and signed up for 30-day unlimited usage, but how do I know before I book a flight if it is available? I know later this fall it won’t be an issue, but over next few months such information will be helpful, i.e., how do I know tail number of flight that I’m booking?
July 20th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Chris- I finally on Friday had the opportunity flying home (to Harrisburg via Atlanta) from Orange County, CA to use GoGo!! It was awesome. I did email, Facebook and chatting with coworkers, family and friends during the flights. I purchased the 24-hour option for $12.95 and felt the value was great. I would have purchased the 30-day unlimited usage, but I feel uneasy because, for example today I traveled from Harrisburg to Atlanta (had GoGo) but then from Atlanta to Seattle and Seattle to Hawaii did not have it…I think it will be hard to market the 30-day unlimited usage plan until there is more of a guarantee to have the service on the planes. I also share the desire to see the RJs get equipped, although I understand they are operated by Connection Carriers. You’re doing a great job and thanks for the updates, I check in on this blog weekly in anticipation that my next flight will be equipped
July 20th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Great Update! The short haul pricing plan & full day pricing fix two big complaints that I heard others having.
The biggest change I’d like to see, as requested above, is the ability to see which flights have Wifi during booking. Currently you can see which inflight entertainment options and such are available, I know for me and other business travelers wifi is hugely helpful and would definitely influence my booking decisions.
As far as pricing the recent adjustments are a big help. The only one I think could use some work is the 30-Day Plan at $49.95/month. Even with the whole fleet being Wifi-capable, not sure your going to get the response your looking for. tbh, even weekly travelers are going to just grab that day passes at that rate.
Look at the monthly plan as more of an upsell. Something like $29.95/Month would see much more response and takes inflight wifi from being a interesting perk, to a defining part of travel with Delta.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Hi Chris – I am a Delta Platinum Medallion flyer but have been unlucky not be be on one of your WIFI equipped planes yet (maybe tomorrow when I fly from ATL-SFO?). In any event, one thing that would really be attractive to me would be the ability to pay for a membership or WIFI session with Skymiles (instead of charging it to a credit card). Thanks for listening and best wishes.
July 21st, 2009 at 8:33 am
Glad to see the DC9-50s will get wifi, which hopefully means Delta will keep them around for some time. Are there any plans to have the Northwest 757s get wifi?
July 21st, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Yesterday I had a fun thing happen. I was online while in flight and got an IM from a friend who was also in flight! (Another flight) I was over Colorado and he was over Ohio.
I am impressed with the speed and ease of logging in. Looking forward to more aircraft being completed!
July 21st, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Chris,
I must say that you and the wifi team have done a good job so far. Have had 2 flights with it, tails 639 and 946, fast connection and good price.
My question is: If you’re on a 767-300 from SLC to HNL, it has wifi, the flight path takes you over SFO. Would you technically be able to buy it for $5.95, would you have to pay as the full flight for $12.95, or would you not be able to buy it at all?
July 21st, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Chris,
Great job as well. Any plans for your acquired 747-400 birds? I have reservations for next Spring (ATL-HNL) and this would be a nice perk.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Chris,
Great job on the roll out and many thanks for keeping us informed on this blog. Looking forward to the fall when the full domestic fleet is enabled.
Currently it feels like I am in Vegas rolling the dice and waiting with anticipation to board to see if there is wifi. In a previous blog you mentioned possible early notification VIA boarding pass, gate announcement or on the gate displays where so equipped. What is the status of pre-flight notification of WiFi capabilities?
Thanks for listening and rolling out the other plans!
July 27th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
mikewoodruff…there are currently no plans to install Wi-Fi on our regional fleet. The issue is that it costs about the same to install the system on an RJ as a mainline jet, but the potential user base is half that of a mainline a/c.
Additionally, the short stage lengths also reduce the number of potential users.
That said, we will closely monitor usage and customer feedback, and revisit our strategy as needed.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
AV…we’re still working on the delta.com indicator. The integration of the DL and NW Web sites has taken precedence. Hopefully we’ll have that feature available later this summer.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
DeltaFlyer99…I’ve passed your comments on to the SkyMiles group.
July 27th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
i006076…there are no plans to outfit the international wide-body fleet with in-flight Internet access at this time. We’re concentrating on the domestic mainline fleet.