Delta Air Lines has begun rolling out free satellite WiFi on some international flights, starting in France, in time for the Olympics. The service is being rolled out on Viasat-equipped aircraft and is sponsored by T-Mobile. The airline said it plans to offer free WiFi on aircraft worldwide, starting route by route in Europe, South America and Africa starting this year, and eventually on Asia and Oceania routes by mid-2025. Delta currently offers free in-flight connectivity on about 700 aircraft covering 90% of domestic routes. Some aircraft will have paid Intelsat WiFi during the transition period. Many of the world’s largest airlines have responded to customer requests by installing expensive radome antennas on their aircraft and subscribing to services that provide satellite-based WiFi. Connections are improving, with streaming-quality speeds now available, but satellite switching can cause gaps in service and experiences may vary. I like to use WiFi to keep in touch with my family when I’m on a plane, so I often opt for text or messaging services. It can be cheaper with a paid carrier, or it can be free if you sign up for a loyalty program. When you fly, how often do you use the WiFi connection on board? Did you pay for the service or only use it when it was free?
