To keep tech savvy travelers connected while in the air, airlines are planning to convert their aircraft into Internet cafés, offering in-flight e-mail and a limited version of the Internet.

Jostling for the attention of the airlines are Boeing Connexion of Irvine, CA, and Tenzing Communications of Seattle, each offering their unique breed of on-broad Internet access system. At the recent Paris Air Show, there was much talk about in-air Internet access only proving that the rivalry is alive and well.

Boeing and Tenzing have been putting their teams in place by forming alliances and partnerships with some of the major international airlines.

Boeing recently announced that it is forming a joint venture company with partners American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. As majority owner of the new company, Boeing will provide in flight high-speed Internet service called ‘Connexion By Boeing’ to commercial airlines using a live satellite link in the air. This high-speed service will rollout in late 2002. Lufthansa announced that it will equip its first plane with the Boeing service next year, with plans to extend it to its long distance aircraft by 2003.

While Boeing is offering carriers a service with high-speed access capabilities, Tenzing will be deploying a slightly slower in-flight version for Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and Cathay Pacific passengers. Air Canada's passengers will be able to access the service through Bell Mobility’s existing on-board communications system available in all classes of service. Using their own laptop or PDA, equipped with the necessary software, passengers will be able to send and receive e-mail and browse a selection of business and general lifestyle Internet content. At present, the system is installed in five Boeing 767 aircraft operating on selected North American routes and will be deployed gradually throughout Air Canada's fleet starting in the fall of 2001, with completion expected by the end of 2003.

Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific plan to introduce Tenzing’s system later this year, and Cathay Pacific will extend it across its fleet by 2003. Singapore Airlines, however, will work with Tenzing to offer a satellite-based Internet and e-mail system starting this year. The airline plans to offer the service in all classes and, in time, will be available on all its aircraft.

Regardless of which system an airline puts in place, there will likely be different standards for how passengers hook into the Internet while on board. "The service providers could agree to choose a common standard such as a USB port, but that might require users to load software onto their laptops, which could discourage use," Roger Brash, president of Tel Astra, space-based systems consultancy firm, told Interactive Week.

Even though Air Canada said it received "an overwhelming positive customer response during its free trial period, it is still not clear how much demand or how much passengers are willing to spend for such a service. The Boeing high-speed service will initially cost about $20 per hour, while Tenzing’s slower-speed offering will cost $4.95 per flight and 50¢ per e-mail page read and sent.

For more information: http://www.tenzing.com