Delta Air Lines Likely To Amplify In-Flight Offerings Rivalry With Its Free Wi-Fi Service

Delta Air Lines, Inc DAL looked to launch free wireless internet for its passengers by early 2023, intensifying competition over in-flight offerings on pandemic recovery.
Delta will likely offer free Wi-Fi on a significant portion of its airplanes before turning on the service on more of its fleet through next year, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Delta tested Wi-Fi infrastructure, with various offerings to select customers on select routes.
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Delta CEO Ed Bastian for years wanted in-flight internet to be fast and free, but there have been technical challenges.
The airline first tested free Wi-Fi on domestic flights in 2019 and later turned to a new provider, ViaSat, Inc VSAT.
Delta began offering Wi-Fi on Viasat-enabled planes for a $5 flat fee in 2021 and looked to have most of its domestic mainline fleet equipped with that service by 2022.
Delta aimed to position itself as a more high-end airline with premium features that can attract higher-paying leisure and business travelers.
Delta has stepped up testing in recent months. It tested offers of free Wi-Fi for members of its frequent-flier program on several domestic mainline routes.
Delta passengers will likely need to enter their SkyMiles loyalty number to access the free service.
Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines Group, Inc AAL, United Airlines Holdings, Inc UAL, and Southwest Airlines Co LUV also harbored similar internet ambitions.
Airlines have tried to address their Wi-Fi woes for years, trying out different technologies and business models.
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Price Action: DAL shares closed lower by 0.06% at $32.90 on Tuesday.
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