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The main cabin of an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER jet.
American Airlines is set to embark on testing free inflight Wi-Fi, starting next week, as airlines face increasing pressure to provide this service without charge. The trials will take place on three specific routes: from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, from Charlotte to Jacksonville International Airport, and between Miami International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
There is a growing trend among carriers to either implement or planning to introduce complimentary inflight Wi-Fi, thereby making it increasingly challenging for competitors to maintain charges for internet access. Currently, American Airlines has some of the highest fees in the industry, with inflight Wi-Fi access often exceeding $20.
Details on whether American Airlines intends to roll out free Wi-Fi across a broader portion of its fleet remain unclear.
Delta Air Lines previously shared plans to provide complimentary Wi-Fi for its SkyMiles loyalty program members, following a similar move by JetBlue Airways. Additionally, United Airlines aims to introduce free Wi-Fi this year by utilizing Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite technology, which is also employed by Hawaiian Airlines after its acquisition by Alaska Airlines.
American Airlines’ Chief Customer Officer, Heather Garboden, stated in a memo that this testing phase will focus on assessing customer engagement with inflight Wi-Fi, evaluating their provider and the aircraft’s capacity, and crucially, measuring customer satisfaction levels.
As American Airlines navigates heightened competition in the free Wi-Fi arena, the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline is also working to restore confidence among customers after an unsuccessful business travel strategy last year.
Garboden noted, “While relatively small in scope, this is already a significant step in our ongoing effort to provide our customers with what they desire.”
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