Delta to add inflight Wi-Fi to 223 Delta Connection jets

ATLANTA – Delta Air Lines today announced it will add onboard Wi-Fi to 223 regional jet aircraft operated by Delta Connection carriers, expanding by 40 percent the number of Delta aircraft featuring G

ATLANTA – Delta Air Lines today announced it will add onboard Wi-Fi to 223 regional jet aircraft operated by Delta Connection carriers, expanding by 40 percent the number of Delta aircraft featuring Gogo Inflight Internet service. Delta will be the first domestic carrier to deploy Wi-Fi across its entire mainline and regional aircraft fleets with two classes of service.

“Adding Wi-Fi capabilities to our two-class regional jets marks another milestone in our efforts to invest more than $2 billion to enhance our airport facilities, aircraft fleet and onboard services for customers through 2013,” said Tim Mapes, Delta’s senior vice president โ€“ Marketing. “We continue to make significant progress in aligning the products and services offered by our regional airline partners so that Delta customers have an experience consistent with that available aboard Delta’s mainline fleet.”

Installations of Wi-Fi on Delta Connection jets will begin in January and will be complete by the end of 2011. Once complete, customers flying on all Delta domestic flights with a First Class cabin will enjoy Wi-Fi access, including service on every Delta Shuttle flight between New York-LaGuardia and Boston, Chicago-O’Hare and Washington, D.C.

Delta began installing Wi-Fi on domestic mainline aircraft in 2008, becoming the first airline to announce plans for inflight Internet service on all domestic aircraft. With 549 mainline aircraft and the addition of 223 regional jets to the Wi-Fi program, more than 80 percent of Delta’s domestic fleet โ€“ or 772 aircraft โ€“ will feature Gogo Inflight Internet access.

Delta Connection aircraft featuring First Class cabins include Embraer 175, Bombardier CRJ700 and Bombardier CRJ900 models operated by Delta Connection. The aircraft feature between nine and 12 seats in First Class and between 56 and 64 seats in Economy.

In addition to Wi-Fi, Delta has taken a number of steps to fully align service on Delta Connection and mainline flights. Recent improvements have included adding First Class cabins to 66 additional CRJ700 jets; introducing meal service in First Class on regional jets; adding china, linen and silverware to Delta Connection First Class cabins and installing more jetbridges at Delta hubs to reduce ground-level boarding of regional jets.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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