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E-ticketing flaw could allow hackers to print boarding passes
E-ticketing systems used by eight major airlines, including Southwest, suffer from a lax security that could expose personal information and result in tampering with seats and boarding passes. Researchers at mobile security firm Wandera published a report highlighting vulnerability found in check-in emails delivered to passengers. While there is no evidence of any significant breach, the vulnerability may still give travelers pause.
Southwest Airlines now allows gadget use during takeoff and touchdown, offers WiFi that works gate to gate
Soon, Delta and JetBlue will have the right to say they've adopted the FAA's new electronics policy before it was cool. Still, not everyone's just following suit -- the latest carrier to allow passengers to use mobile devices during takeoff and landing, Southwest, says it's adding something extra. According to the company, it's the only US airline offering gate-to-gate WiFi that keeps you connected the whole flight, including stops and transfers. That's made possible by the company's satellite-based WiFi technology, which (unlike the Gogo tech that many rival airlines use) works even if a plane isn't 10,000 feet up in the air. You know what's even better, though? Southwest isn't jacking up the price for the gate-to-gate privileges: it'll still cost the same $8 per device the airline currently charges. [Image credit: Michael Dorausch, Flickr]
Southwest, Dish offer free iPad entertainment to travelers
If you're a frequent flier who hasn't yet invested in a tablet of your own, Southwest has you covered: As part of a larger partnership between the airline and television provider Dish, Southwest will now not only provide in-flight entertainment for passengers who have iOS devices of their own, but will now also offer iPads to those without their own compatible smartphone or tablet. The tablets -- which are the iPad 2 model -- will be available for passengers to "check out" at kiosks within terminals at Chicago-Midway, Denver and Oakland airports. If you're flying between any of these cities on a WiFi-enabled flight, you'll be able to loan an iPad and enjoy a selection of live and on-demand content for free during your trip.
Southwest Airlines' on-demand WiFi video reaches all capable aircraft (video)
While we're gradually acclimating ourselves to the idea of watching in-flight video on our own devices and schedules, many airlines aren't quite in step with the idea. Count Southwest Airlines among the more enlightened, then, as its video on-demand system has just finished rolling out to every WiFi-equipped aircraft. If you hop aboard one of the company's Boeing 737-700 or 737-800 jets, you can pay either $5 per movie or $5 for flat-rate TV access on a WiFi device, whether or not you're paying for an internet link. About a quarter of Southwest's vehicles currently go without -- we wouldn't expect VOD on a short hop just yet -- but all new aircraft and AirTran overhauls will see the upgrade. We're mostly content to know that we won't have to always resort to the biggest airlines to keep ourselves occupied during long-haul expeditions.
Row 44 gets major studio support for in-flight VOD platform, can't match Gogo's reach
Southwest Airlines passengers now have something better to do on their cross-country jaunts than grip the armrests and pray that the kid behind 'em stops kicking the seat. Row 44 has partnered with Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal and Fox to create an on-demand streaming service for folks who bring their WiFi-enabled devices onboard. You'll get a variety of archive content to watch as you cruise the friendly skies, including shows like Friends, Glee and The Office as well as big-ticket movies like Harry Potter, Avatar and Inception. The service also offers streaming IPTV, with CNBC, Fox News and NBC Sports on tap initially. Row 44's market share is paltry compared to Gogo -- which has the business of every WiFi-lovin' airline in America outside of Southwest -- but it's certainly interesting news in light of the latter's own video endeavors. Mum's the word on pricing, but we're told that the new material can be accessed "later this year."
New iPhone ad: Family Travel
If you've been watching TV over the last few days (and who hasn't, with that USA / Canada hockey game and the tsunami coverage), you may have seen the latest in the series of iPhone ads. The ad, titled "Family Travel," features a voice-over by a Mom who gushes that "It's unbelievable how much better family trips have gotten..." as she demonstrates using the Southwest Airlines app to check in on a flight from Denver to LA, finds a restaurant for the family (Heidi's Brooklyn Deli) in the C concourse at Denver International Airport with Gate Guru, makes sure that she has entertainment for her kids in the form of "Finding Nemo" loaded in the iPod app, and then turns off the living room lights at home with the Schlage Link app. For those of you who are sticklers for advertising accuracy, note that Southwest flight 1403 is not an actual SWA flight between DEN and LAX and that the restaurant list for Concourse C at Denver International Airport is actually a mashup of restaurants located throughout Denver International Airport. All of the apps are free, although Schlage Link does require a monthly subscription and appropriate Z-Link hardware on the home front (similar to the Christmas tree ad from the holidays).
Southwest nails down in-flight WiFi partnership, whole fleet to be lit by 2012
It's about time, ain't it? Southwest -- which is easily one of the most enjoyable airlines to fly on here in the States -- has finally cemented its in-flight WiFi plans after more than two full years of hemming, hawing and testing. A fresh blog posting on the airline's website clues us in on exactly how difficult to road to this day has been, but a finalized partnership with Row 44 will allow wireless equipment to be installed into 15 aircraft per month starting in Q2 of this year. In time, the company will ramp that up to 25 per month, which should mean that its entire fleet of 540 planes will be outfitted for mile-high web access by "early 2012." We're still being kept in the dark when it comes to pricing, but Southwest assures us that it's still "testing a variety of price points on the four aircraft that currently have WiFi" and that a decision will be made in a few more months. Update: Tipster MJK just hit us up with this tidbit, and if Southwest keeps this kind of pricing in tact, it could very well start a price war with the legacy carriers who charge upwards of $13 per flight for access."I took a trip from Los Angeles to Albuquerque recently and they charged $4 for the entire trip. It's just around two hours but it was indeed fast WiFi."
Southwest builds first 'green plane,' Ma Earth shows her gratitude
Southwest Airlines may not own a plane with a headrest infotainment system, but it's still far and away the most enjoyable commercial flight you'll find in the US of A (save for Virgin America, naturally). Granted, we'd like to see in-flight WiFi offered on a few more of its flights (read: 100 percent of them), but hey, we'll take free checked bags and friendly employees any day of the week. We'll also take fuel savings and environment stewardship, both of which Southwest is aiming to give us by creating the planet's first "green plane." By utilizing recyclable InterfaceFLOR carpet, weight-saving seat covers and life vest pouches, a lighter foam fill in the seats and aluminum (as opposed to plastic) seat rub strips, the newfangled Boeing 737-700 ends up some 472 pounds lighter than a conventional one. The savings? 9,500 gallons of jet fuel per year. We're not sure when the bird is expected to take her first voyage, but here's hoping a few others are hatched in the near future. [Via DailyFinance] Read - Southwest press release Read - China View's fuel calculations %Gallery-76442%
Southwest details in-flight WiFi plans, announces partnership with Yahoo!
Southwest got official with its WiFi plans late last month, but avid travelers who favor the only airline worth flying anymore (okay, Virgin America and JetBlue aren't bad either) were left wondering about most of the details. Today, the company has fired up a single Row 44-equipped flight, and it has announced plans to equip three more airplanes with in-flight WiFi by early next month. Furthermore, it has nailed down a partnership with Yahoo! in order to offer an in-flight homepage with "destination-relevant content." The service, which has yet to receive final FCC approval, will be tested over the next few months, and if all goes well, we're left to hope, pray and beg that the airline rolls it out fleet-wide. There's no mention of an actual price here, but it would totally rule if it bucked the trend and provided it to everyone for free. Right, everyone?[Via Gadling]
Southwest Airlines to test in-flight WiFi via satellite
It's taken a while, but it looks like Southwest Airlines is the latest (and no doubt far from the last) to jump on the in-flight WiFi bandwagon although, as with most, it's still quite a ways from rolling out the service across the board. Still, according to the airline, at least four of its planes will be outfitted with the desirable service by this summer as part of the initial testing, with each of those relying on satellite internet service provided by the folks at Row 44 (last seen hooking up Alaska Air with some in-flight WiFi of their own). No word if the service will be free or not, but the company promises it'll "set the standard for excellence in inflight connectivity," which would be somewhat hard to do if they're charging you through the nose for it.[Thanks, Dominic]
SouthWest Airlines working on in-flight WiFi
A tipster sent us a recent corporate presentation at SouthWest Airlines that twice mentions that "Inflight wireless internet connectivity" is being looked at. Rather predictably for an airline, this is mentioned on a slide discussing future revenue opportunities -- hey, dems airlines gotta get paid! -- but at least they're thinking about it, right? As such, we can probably expect the in-flight rates for said "wireless internet connectivity" to be equivalent to the altitude of the plane. We'll know more as soon as SouthWest starts getting specific on the deets: when they do, we know which airline we'll be booking the next time we have to fly internal.
