Bored watching in-flight movies? Now, you can surf the Net, send and receive e-mails (even with large files attached) as you fly Lufthansa, to or from India.
The German airline is offering high-speed onboard internet called FlyNet, which enables passengers with a WLAN-enabled laptop or smartphone unlimited access to the Web.
Passengers can also use the iPad to connect to the internet through a hotspot, just as they would do at any public hotspot on the ground.
The airline said users will be automatically connected to the free-of-charge FlyNet portal, which provides constant updates on business, politics, sports and entertainment. A satellite links the aircraft to the Web, the airline said in a statement. It has come up with various billing options for internet usage, including €10.95 or 3,500 miles for one hour or €19.95 or 7,000 miles for 24-hour access.
The service is available on the Delhi-Munich, Mumbai-Frankfurt, Mumbai-Munich and Chennai-Frankfurt routes.
In addition to WLAN, data communication using the GSM and GPRS international cell phone standards will also be made available by year-end, it said. The options will include cell phone text messaging and data transfer with smart phones such as the iPhone or Blackberry.
Meanwhile, the Dubai-based Emirates too is helping passengers connect to their loved ones if they fly its Airbus-380 airliner. The link-up could be either via phone calls or a mobile data link on their personal devices. The service is being offered in partnership with OnAir.
But, the service will not be available in India as the Government has yet to allow any international airline to operate the A380 into the country.