US Airways finally secures Gogo in-flight WiFi, adding to all A321's by June
By Darren Murph 
posted March 29th 2010 8:17PM
posted March 29th 2010 8:17PM
We heard last summer that 2010 would be the year for US Airways to gain in-flight internet, and sure enough, America's worst legacy airline has made good on said promise. As of now, a grand total of five Airbus A321 planes are equipped with Gogo, and if you're lucky enough to end up on one, you'll get a single free session through June 1st provided that you're a first-time Gogo user. Speaking of early June, that's when all 51 of the outfit's A321's will be lit with WiFi, and better still, you'll be able to see right away if your flight will be wired (or unwired, as it were) at the time of booking. There's no mention of expansion plans beyond that, and we still haven't received an apology for refusing us a gratis glass of water on a 6.5 hour flight in August of 2008. No, we're not bitter. At all.
Why are all my Delta flights on DC-9s or regional jets!! I want in flight wifi!!
@yankees368 I believe that some DC-9s are getting Delta's AVOD and WiFi.
@yankees368
Because the DC-10 had that pesky third engine fall off all the time
@AckbarsFist - Only the -50s are I believe. The others are being dumped in a few years anyways.
@AckbarsFist
Don't mean to be a plane snob, but I don't think anyone uses DC-9s anymore, the semi modern version is the MD80.
@npa189 Delta sure does use DC-9s. However, they inherited them from NWA. They are supposed to stop flying them this year, so I highly doubt they will be wired for wifi. If they did get wifi, that would be the only digital anything on that plane.
@npa189 - I hate to be an even bigger snob, but Delta has tons of DC-9s from NWA now. I believe all of them are even in Delta colors now.
The -50s will be kept for the foreseeable future while the others will be dumped in the near future.
Here's proof for you: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Delta-Air-Lines/McDonnell-Douglas-DC-9-51/1672784/L
@npa189 Nope, Delta flies former NWA DC-9s. They do fly MD-90s as well (and have actually recently purchased quite a few off of other carriers).
@AckbarsFist
the question everyone is really asking though, is what did ice cube, eazy e, and dre want with all those planes anyways?
/s
This is must for long flight from LAX to Dubai (16hours nonstop)
@techlord Too bad no carriers that do that flight offer WiFi :(
@AckbarsFist - How exactly would they go about doing then when cruising over a vast ocean?
@MRCUR Well if they used the wifi offered by Row 44, it is a satellite connection and therefore works over the ocean.
Too bad Go Go doesn't do that.
Great, you can watch porn while on a flight.
@Let1me1in - I'm pretty sure GoGo filters the WiFi...
@MRCUR that blows if they do. Why charge if they they can't deliver. It's like an excort that will not sleep with you but you paid her the money.
And let us not forget that US Air spent the last 12-18 months disabling the power ports on all of their domestic aircraft (including the A321s.)
They said they were doing this to save weight (they announced this then when oil was at all-time highs.) Who knew electricity had mass? ;)
[http://crankyflier.com/2009/07/29/us-airways-joins-the-wifi-party/]
@acitrano
Using more electricity costs more money.
Using less electricity costs less money.
Pretty simple plan.
@GenericMessage | what the hell? No it doesnt cost less money to use less electricity on an Aircraft.
As electricity is generated by the Alternator as a result of Engine power, there is a limited, but extremely large amount of electricity available onboard.
just like in a car. "Turn off the headlights!!! Its costing me extra on my power bill!!!" The engine rotates, so does the alternator, this time electricity is a free benefit.
Just an interesting note - a car Alternator produces 300Amps of power, enough to power welding equipment and 2 electric stoves. (except the voltage will drag ya down)
@IvanP91 you obviously don't know much about airplanes, or energy for that matter...the power is supplied by an APU (auxiliary power unit). Also, it always requires energy (fuel in this case) to create energy (electricity in this case). Fuel does cost money and carrying extra fuel to provide extra power costs more money too. Be sure to know what you are talking about next time. I suggest an introductory physics course.
Not trying to be rude. I just don't like people spreading false facts.
@IvanP91 It doesn't? The airline pays to use ground power when the aircraft is parked, then while in flight (depending on the aircraft) either power is taken off the main engines or the APU. Which drains fuel. Which costs money. Plus, since new aircraft are coming without the ports, it WILL indeed save weight. You'd be surprised at the impact that stuff such as AVOD and power ports have on planes. JetBlue isn't able to fly to certain airports with full aircraft because of the added weight of their LiveTV systems. Depending on the aircraft, AVOD systems can add up to 15,000 pounds.
@awperk D'oh! You beat me to the post by one minute...
When we're in our swank hotel rooms on various space stations, we're gonna laugh at this article. "It was a big deal to get WiFi on an airplane!! Ha ha."
Good for US Airways. I wouldn't call them the "worst" anymore (that'd probably go to United), but they definitely have some big issues.
I will say that their A321s are generally pretty nice though, especially since a bunch of them are brand new.
I was on a flight from LAX to ORD with Gogo and no such thing as a freebie anywhere. I perused some WSJ articles though.
@riverguardian I'm a bit confused by your post. If there were no freebies, then that implies you could not get online. Yet you read WSJ articles, which means you did. So there was limited access?
US Airways, home of the unlimited fees. Next up, drop-down table use fee in addition to that wifi fee and cup of water fee.
airbus = crashbus. hows that tail section?
@Dank Dillweed Wow, you are "dank!"
@Dank Dillweed
I could just find one incident, and that was with the original A300.
Sigh. I work for said company, and some facts you may not know.
1. America West Airlines bought US Airways (saved from bankruptcy).
2. America West Management is in charge of the Airline (felt US Airways was a better name, I disagree, but oh well).
3. We in-sourced all of IT expect the REZ system.
4. We updated all the computers from Windows 95 to XP (and soon Windows 7).
5. We upgraded all the networks to Cisco gear.
6. And as you said we are updating our long haul fleet to wifi.
I know, so what. I just hate to hear worse airline after working so hard to make it better. Don't trust me, look around, US Airways has improved significantly over the last 3 years for customers.
Virgin America for the win. Their entire fleet, consisting of Airbus 319 and 320s are all wifi enabled with gogo.
Charging for WI-FI is a bad trend...
C'mon airlines, give it to us for free!!
@JakeInDC It does cost quite a bit to add to a fleet and make up for the savings in fuel burn...
GoGo is an OUTSTANDING product. For $13 I got the best 6 hours of productivity in months! But no office visitors, no having to leave my desk for lunch or coffee, and most importantly NO PHONE CALLS.
I am disappointed at how long it took airplanes to get WiFi, but very surprised at how working on an airplane is not only uncompromising but better than my own office.
"...and we still haven't received an apology for refusing us a gratis glass of water on a 6.5 hour flight in August of 2008. No, we're not bitter. At all."
It was this reason US Airways lost my business for life... too bad, bet you're bankrupt airline wouldn't mind the 150,000+ I've been flying with Delta each of the last couple years.
As I Type this, Im sitting on 1 of said 5 Airbus', watching House for free and drinking my complimentary sprite. I did not pay for this flight, and I did not pay for this WiFi. Yes.