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Australia's Jetstar Airways takes the training wheels off iPad rental program, wants the tablet 'on every aircraft'
Here's a quick and easy way to escape the mediocrity of those tiny low-res LCDs embedded in the seat in front of you: slap down 10 Australian dollars and upgrade to the iPad's IPS goodness for the duration of your Jetstar Airways flight. This rental option has been available on the Australian airline's flights since June, but only in pilot form (insert your own jokes here), and the feedback has been good enough for the company to make it a fleet-wide policy. "Movies, music, magazines, books and games" will all come preloaded, so you shouldn't fret about having to shell out extra hunting around for content. Licensing agreements are expected to be finalized shortly, with the rental program rolling out in full this April.
Jetstar airline to offer in-flight iPads in April
Back in June 2010 we first reported on a pilot program by Qantas Airways' low-cost airline Jetstar to offer iPad rentals as in-flight entertainment, and now we have learned that Jetstar will finally start offering them in April for AUD$10 per flight. According to Australian Business Traveler, the in-flight iPads will come loaded with "movies, music, magazines, books and games" and will be available on Jetstar's A320 flights in Australia and Asia. Jetstar had initially intended to launch the rental program in time for the holiday season after successful trial runs last summer, but due to contract negotiations and pending licensing agreements with Apple, they weren't able to get it ready in time. In talking with Australian Business Traveler, Jetstar marketing manager David May said that "if the trial works, we want to put them on every aircraft because they're so much slimmer and lighter than our existing units," and I imagine we will be seeing many other airlines follow suit. With some airlines already offering integration between iPods and in-flight entertainment systems and iPads being used as electronic flight bags for pilots, just how far off are we from flying Apple Airlines? Anyone care to take a guess?
Boeing 787 Dreamliner delayed again, expectations still sky high
That's right, the 787 Dreamliner, which has airlines all aflutter over promises of increased fuel efficiency, has been delayed yet again. Boeing announced yesterday that customers can expect to see the plane in the third quarter of 2011: one in a long line of setbacks that have put it three years behind schedule. However, despite delays, it seems customer confidence hasn't waned. In fact, the New York Times reported that 787 buyers still find a summer release perfectly practical, leading to a three percent rise in Boeing stock. Trouble for the 787 started back in 2008, with the FAA warning of hacker vulnerability, followed by a 2009 discovery of structural weakness, and an on-board fire last November. Even with delays, and cancellation of at least 60 orders, the 787 still has about 850 pre-orders: more than any other mid-size commercial liner in history. So what's keeping the 787 Dreamliner afloat? Well, mostly promises of a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency, thanks to a design that's 50 percent composite materials. Clearly, testing the 787 hasn't been a dream, but it seems nothing can keep this plane grounded for good.
Spilled coffee in 777 cockpit leads to inadvertent hijack warning, FAA-mandated sippy cups look likely
If you've ever spilled coffee on a piece of electronics, maybe a keyboard or even a laptop, spare a thought for the pilot of United Airlines flight 940, outbound from Chicago and heading to Frankfurt. Not long after takeoff the pilot apparently dumped a cup of Joe onto the communications panel in the cockpit and things rapidly went downhill from there. The crew inadvertently sent a code 7500, which indicates that the plane is being hijacked and, as you can imagine, that led to a lot of unwanted attention. It's not clear whether the equipment malfunctioned and sent the code or the pilot, likely struggling with a scalded lap, fat-fingered things on the panel. Either way, the flight diverted to Toronto and, rather tragically, the passengers were all sent back to Chicago to try again the next day.
Lufthansa launches in-flight WiFi on intercontinental flights, ushers in 'the future'
There's just no two ways about it: what Lufthansa has managed to accomplish here is nothing short of incredible. While avid jetsetters have been enjoying in-flight WiFi on (select) domestic routes for a few years now, the in-flight fun has been coming to an abrupt halt when boarding a flight requiring a passport. The dream of long-haul in-flight internet has felt like a distant one, but it seems that the future is indeed happening today. The carrier's FlyNet service has been relaunched this week, and with assistance from Panasonic and the 802.11n gods that be, it's now offering broadband internet access on intercontinental routes. At first, the service will be limited to select North Atlantic routes, but access should be available on "nearly the entire Lufthansa intercontinental network by the end of 2011." No specific performance figures are being released, but the company does call it "extremely fast" and quick enough to open large attachments "without delay." Better still, the airline will be enabling cellphone data access (GSM and GPRS) in the spring of next year, giving highfalutin' bigwigs the ability to send and receive the most expensive text messages of their life. Deutsche Telekom will be providing the actual internet service, with pricing set as such: €10.95 (or 3,500 miles) for one hour or €19.95 (or 7,000 miles) for a 24-hour pass that also allows patrons to access the web on "on all Lufthansa connecting flights equipped with a hotspot during the period of validity as well as after the flight in Lufthansa lounges." Oh, and did we mention that it's totally free through January 31st, 2011? It is. Update: We're seeing expected uplink rates of 1Mbps, with download rates reaching 5Mbps. Not bad for being over an ocean. %Gallery-109227%
Clear security lanes reopen in Orlando, coming soon to Denver
There's just nothing quite like a promised kept, you know? Back in May, we heard that the financially troubled Clear would be making a comeback this fall, and lo and behold, the first Clear security lanes in quite some time have opened up in Orlando International Airport (MCO). Just as before, customers angels who fork out $179 per year and pass a litany of personality tests (we kid, we kid... sort of) will be able to breeze right through a dedicated security lane, enabling them to show up just moments prior to takeoff, claim their seat and simultaneously draw the ire of every other nearby passenger. In the next few months, Clear will roll out a family plan that enables the $179er to add members at $50 a pop, and during the introduction period, all members will receive a free month. Best of all, those who used Clear before can have their cards reactivated once it returns to their home airport. The company intends to open lanes in Denver later this month, but expansion plans beyond that remain a mystery. Feel free to get amped by watching the video just past the break.
11.6-inch MacBook Air cleared to remain packed through security, but we'd remove it anyway
Really, TSA? Are you honestly so stoked to disappoint? If you'll recall, the American Transportation Security Administration got up close and personal with a first-generation MacBook Air after wrongly assuming it was an Apocalypse-bringer, and even after adjusting rules so that iPads, netbooks and other smaller electronics could fly through carry-on screening equipment without being unpacked, we've still heard of (and personally experienced) occasions where agents have demanded that tablet PCs be ran through naked. If there's a lesson to learn here, it's that the TSA is consistently inconsistent, and you're probably better off putting everything you own in a separate grey bucket for the sake of covering your bases. The same applies to Apple's new 11.6-inch MacBook Air, which is cleared to undergo TSA scanning while packed under the aforesaid amended rules. In theory, you shouldn't have to remove it from your backpack as you struggle to reach your gate, but if we had to guess, we'd say you'll be ask to take it out and re-run it if you try. But hey, you're only being victimized and scrutinized in the name of security, so it's all good. Trust us.
In-flight calling and texting coming to Singapore Airlines in 2011
So, OnAir is still hanging around, huh? It's been quite a while since we've heard anything from the in-flight telephony company, with outfits like Row44 and Aircell dominating the space with their near-constant rollout of in-flight WiFi services here in the States. But for those traveling in and around Asia on Singapore Airlines, it sounds as if your flights are about to get a bit more connected, and potentially more chatty. A new in-flight connectivity system based on Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband (and a collaboration with OnAir) is expected to provide passengers on medium- and long-haul flights with "access to WiFi internet and mobile telephony services." This should, in theory, enable patrons to send and receive SMS text messages with their GSM-compatible handsets, send and receive emails on their smartphones (and laptops, we presume?) and potentially make and receive voice calls. SIA expects to have the first of its fleet equipped in the first half of 2011, with introductions to happen in progressive fashion on its Airbus A380, Airbus A340-500 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Sounds like a few airlines we know and love have a little catching up to do...
Zune HD taking to the skies with United Airlines in-flight entertainment trial
Microsoft and United hooked up back in June for a hardware-less Zune partnership, which seems to have turned out pretty sweetly for both parties. Dave McLauchlan, chief Zune HD evangelist, has dished the news that the two companies are stepping up their relationship with a set of 500 Zunes being provided for long-haul flights to Hong Kong and Australia. Before you cry foul and say you never get on a flying tin can without your own media, Microsoft's angle here will be to preload those OLED-sporting babies with exclusive content, including flicks that haven't yet made it to a DVD release. Dave himself has been running around movie studios and closing deals, while the Zune HDs in question have now been encased in rubber, had their screens protected, and batteries charged. See them in a group shot after the break.
Did malware cause the crash of Spanair Flight JK 5022? (update)
The inquiry into the August 2008 crash of Spanair Flight JK 5022 at Barajas Airport in Madrid took a bizarre turn recently when Spanish daily El Pais reported that the server that the airline used to track technical problems on aircraft contained malware. Although the flaps and slats were not in the proper position for takeoff, the crew was never alerted -- causing the flight to go down moments after takeoff, killing all but 18 of the 172 on board. That's not to say that human error wasn't a factor: as well as causing an audible alarm, the problem should have been spotted by the mechanic or airport maintenance chief, both of whom are under investigation. Space stations, power grids, and now airline safety systems? Please, people -- keep your antivirus software up to date. Update: Of the many possibilities that could have brought down JK 5022, it turns out malware was pretty low on the list -- ZDNet's Ed Bott reports that it was a maintenance computer at the airline's HQ that was infected, and the plane itself (an MD-82) uses a takeoff warning system that predates airplane computerization, and was thus not susceptible to viruses.
Cathay Pacific bringing 50Mbps WiFi, live TV and in-flight calling to fleet
Mmm... we like where this is headed. While legacy airlines in America are struggling to outfit their fleets with in-flight WiFi alone, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways is showing 'em how it's done. The airline has just inked a memorandum of understanding with Panasonic Avionics for the "provision of full broadband connectivity on all Cathay Pacific and Dragonair passenger aircraft." Yeah, you read that correctly -- by early 2012, Cathay will make 50Mbps internet service, in-flight GSM cellphone service (voice, SMS and data) as well as live and pay-per-view television available to every last passenger. The finer details are still being hammered out, and we aren't told whether every single bird in its fleet will be online from Day 1, but we're still as giddy as ever for this to become a reality. Here's hoping this pushes those other airlines into getting with the program, and at the very least, it ought to give you plenty of reason to take that Asian vacation you've been putting off.
Google acquires ITA for $700m, dives headfirst into airline ticket search
Look out, Kayak / Bing Travel -- you both are about to have your respective worlds rocked. While Google has managed to stay on top (or close to the top) when it comes to almost everything search related, the company has curiously allowed smaller niche brands to handle the travel side. Even amongst the hardcore Googlers, avid flyers typically head to a place like Kayak to weigh their options, while vacation planners either do likewise or turn to Bing Travel. In a few months time, we suspect some of that traffic will be diverted back to El Goog. The company has just announced plans to acquire Cambridge-based ITA Software for a cool $700 million, which will put one of the world's most sophisticated QPX software tools for organizing flight information into the hands of the planet's most dangerous search ally. According to Google, the pickup will allow consumers to search and buy airline tickets with less hassle and frustration, though it's quick to point out that it has "no plans to sell airline tickets [directly] to consumers." For the travel junkies in attendance, there's a high probability that you won't find any better news coming your way today than this. [Thanks, Matthew]
easyJet airline plans to fit its planes with ash detectors
UK budget airliner easyJet unveiled a plan last week to install ash detectors on its fleet of planes. The radar devices will be fitted to the tail fin, and should be able to detect ash clouds within 60 miles and will work like other weather-detection systems already in use to pick up on thunderstorms in advance. The new ash cloud system is being dubbed the Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector, A/K/A AVOID, and it'll provide both pilots and air traffic control to see an ash cloud at altitudes between 5,000 feet and 50,000 feet, and easyJet's CEO Andy Harrison thinks it could have the power to "make large-scale ash disruption history." easyJet will have to have the devices approved by European regulators and widespread adoption across the airline to have much effect. easyJet is spending around $1.46 million to research and outfit its planes with the systems.
Clear security lanes storming back to airports, principled travelers high five one another
Don't call it a comeback. Or do, because that's precisely what this is. After Clear shuffled its final incorruptible passenger through a speedy security lane in June of last year, the company closed up shop and forced even the nicest of travelers to re-join the herds. Thankfully for us all, Alclear has decided that life's simply no good without a hasty security option at airports, and it has plopped down $6 million in order to acquire the assets of Verified Identity Pass out of bankruptcy protection. According to our hombres at Gadling, that purchase price doesn't include individual airport contracts, so it'll be an uphill battle getting these lanes back into the places in which they're needed. If all goes well, we could see the first Clear avenues reopen this fall, with pricing set at $179 per year for unlimited individual use or $229 per year for unlimited family use. Head on past the break for more details on reactivating old subscriptions and the full presser.
US Airways finally secures Gogo in-flight WiFi, adding to all A321's by June
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.
Bluetooth Access Point brings text messaging, voice messaging, email to the friendly skies
Whether you covet your Irish friends' ability to make in-flight cellphone calls or value your aerial naps too much to care either way, you must admit that the promise of in-flight SMS, MMS, voice messaging, and text email is tantalizing. To this end, the kids at Asiq have announced a little something called the Bluetooth Access Point. This device uses the aircraft's satellite link to send data to your respective carrier, eliminates the need for a picocell, and boasts up to 3Mb/s speeds. Now let's see how quickly this bad boy gets approved for use! (Or not.) PR after the break.
Livescribe Pulse Smartpen records heated Delta / airport conversation, leads to chaos
Whoa, Nelly! Talk about a whale of a story. Ben DeCosta, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's general manager, loves gadgets. So much, in fact, that he purchased a Livescribe Pulse Smartpen, which is capable of recording audio onto its 4GB of internal storage space. While details on the story remain murky (disputed by both sides, actually), it's fairly clear that Ben and Delta didn't exactly see eye-to-eye on everything. To that end, Mr. DeCosta figured he could flip the recorder on during a private conversation between airline executives and personnel from the city of Atlanta, and now the whole thing seems to have backfired. Ben maintains that he didn't intend to record Delta's negotiations, and he even went so far as to suggest that Delta stole his pen in order to discredit him. In the end, the city's investigation found that there was "insufficient evidence that DeCosta intentionally sought to record the private conversations of Delta's team," but that's not stopping Ben from retiring when his contract expires in June. Hit the source link below for the whole drama-filled thing, but unfortunately, the discussions held on the pen have yet to leak. TMZ -- you on that, or what?
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."
Air New Zealand 'revolutionizes' coach cabins: power, USB, iPod support and Skycouches
When the so-called "friendly skies" are mentioned, a few airlines in particular come to mind: Virgin America, Singapore Airlines and Qantas, for starters. Starting today, you can safely include Air New Zealand in that discussion. In a bid to turn long-haul international travel on its head, the outfit has today revealed a freshly outfitted Boeing 777 with a coach cabin that easily puts every coach cabin found in the US to shame. Designed by Recaro, the world-class coach area includes 11 rows of Skycouches that can actually fold flat in order to create (admittedly short) beds for two. The best part? The "third seat" in the row will only cost a couple 50 percent of what it normally would, making it somewhat more affordable to buy a bed without springing for first class. You'll also find power sockets, USB ports and iPod connectors in every single coach seat, leaving the plane a Gogo-module away from being absolutely perfect. Pop those source links below for a hands-on at the Auckland unveiling by our good pals at Gadling.
American Airlines launches online widget to sniff out WiFi-equipped flights
You may bang on the legacy airlines, but American Airlines has a good thing going here with Gogo. The outfit has just completed installation of in-flight WiFi on 150 of its MD-80 aircraft, and in order to give you a better idea of how to prepare, it's now launching an online widget that'll let you know if your bird will enable web surfing when you get on. The tool is completely web-based, so any PC or smartphone can access it; the only real knock is that it only informs you of a "yes" or "no" 24 hours prior to departure, so it's still impossible to book a flight 3 months out and know for certain if you'll be able to hop online. This is definitely something that should be adopted by the other airlines (pronto!), but we can't help but dream of the day when something like this is unnecessary due to in-flight internet becoming completely ubiquitous. Ah, the future -- how you tease us so. Demonstration vid is after the break.
