JetBlue has revealed new details about its satellite-based Wi-Fi, as the airline is getting close to equipping its first aircraft with the service. JetBlue is marketing the internet as ‘Fly-Fi,’ which will be powered from ViaSat’s Ka-band-based Exede internet service. 

 

The airline hopes to keep the basic service free, but plans to charge passengers when downloading a lot of data.  According to JetBlue CCO Robin Hayes, JetBlue aims to charge passengers for premium Wi-Fi such as downloading movies, but is exploring the option to keep the basic service free potentially through partnerships and advertising.

 

Hayes also discusses that ViaSat’s Ka-band Wi-Fi service will offer much faster services than current competitor’s in-flight Wi-Fi such as Gogo and Row 44. JetBlue aims to use this Ka-band service to perform better than its competitors by allowing for every customer on the aircraft to utilize the Wi-Fe at the same time.

 

Hayes admits that in-flight Wi-Fi is crucial for JetBlue, as many business travelers will not tolerate a lack of internet connectivity for the duration of a transcontinental flight.