Wi-fi while up high
German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Lufthansa) has announced that it will now offer high-speed wireless internet on many of its short- and medium-haul flights, as will Austrian Airlines. It said that internet access will also be available on Eurowings flights in a few weeks’ time.
According to the airline, 19 Lufthansa A320 family fleet aircraft, as well as 31 Austrian Airlines and 29 Eurowings aircraft, have been fitted with the necessary Wi-fi technology and satellite antennae for this service and additional ones are in the process of being equipped.
The airline said that the new high-speed technology has been successfully tested in the past months on both Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines flights.
Lufthansa explained that the internet access works simply via Wi-fi, using the passengers' own mobile devices, and the offers range from messaging services to surfing the net and even to video streaming.
It said that customers can choose from one of three service packages. On Lufthansa flights these comprise FlyNet Message for €3, FlyNet Surf for €7 and FlyNet Stream for €12 per flight. Austrian Airlines will offer the same services at the same prices under the names myAustrian FlyNet Message, myAustrian FlyNet Surf and myAustrian FlyNet Stream. The airline said that passengers can either pay via credit card or payment services such as PayPal, and that it will soon be possible to make purchases by using Air Miles or via roaming partners.