

Ask HN: Why don't more domestic flights have wifi? - awwstn

My assumptions may be wrong, but here they are:<p>1. The technology exists to easily add an internet connection to any airliner (as evidenced by airlines like Virgin implementing it fleet-wide)<p>2. Once in-flight wifi exists on a plane, it is priced in a way that is profitable for the airline<p>3. Customers respond well to wifi availability and appreciate it.<p>If those are all true, then what could possibly be making airlines like United and American implement in-flight wifi so slowly (I think United is adding internet to 1-2 airplanes per month)?<p>My only thought is that is actually <i>isn&#x27;t</i> profitable because not enough people pay for wifi, but that it <i>is</i> valuable for an airline to have messaging like this: &quot;We&#x27;re adding in-flight wifi to more of our airplanes each month!&quot;
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jleyank
Many domestic flights have no entertainment, food and limited on-board baggage
room. They're 1-2 or 2-2 regional jets chugging along with their cattle for
1-2, maybe 3 hours. Given this environment, why do they need a second-order
feature such as wifi when they're not providing things like legroom or room
for 20" rolly bags?

When the business environment changes such that airlines have to be a bit
competitive again, you will see wifi appear (it's probably cheaper than
entertainment systems). Unfortunately for those who fly, that's not happening
in the next few months.

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jlengrand
I know Norwegian airlines has wifi on all its planes. :)

