The friendlier skies: how technology is changing air travel for better and worse
From lighter navigation equipment to better connectivity, technology is making commercial flight easier and more attractive. At the same time, it's also enabling potentially troubling security changes on the ground. We chart the implementation of gadgets, apps, and new research in air travel.
FAA may allow tablets, e-readers, and certain other electronics during takeoff and landing
The Federal Aviation Administration may be moving to allow the use of electronic reading devices during takeoff and landing, reports The New York Times. The administration may be set to relax the rules within the year for devices such as tablets and e-readers, allowing them to be switched into airplane mode rather than powered off; however the new rules would not cover cellphones. The FAA began studying the issue last year, and its findings will be announced by the end of July. An...
Senator Claire McCaskill drafting bill to allow in-flight electronics during takeoff and landing
Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) is making good on threats to force the Federal Aviation Administration's hand on in-flight electronics use. After asking the FAA in December to speed up its reevaluation of whether things like laptops or e-readers were safe to use during takeoff and landing, McCaskill has now announced that she is working on a bill to loosen the rules. "Given my concerns with the agency’s lack of commitment to adopt changes to the current PED [personal electronic device]...
FAA proposes rule to prohibit personal use of phones, tablets, and laptops in the cockpit
The FAA doesn't want pilots to use phones, tablets, or laptops while flying airplanes. It makes perfect sense, but according to rules that have been in the books since 1981, use of such devices was allowed so long as pilots waited until the plane was above 10,000 feet. If a new proposal from the FAA is passed, however, crew members in the cockpit won't be allowed to check email, browse the web, text, game, or perform any other personal activity on their device during any point of the flight....
TSA to conduct 'independent' study of airport body scanner safety
The TSA's full-body scanners have received plenty of attention for their privacy concerns, but that's not the only controversial aspect of the machines: some scientists have been worried about the dangers associated with the radiation they emit. Hopefully those concerns will soon be laid to rest, now that the agency has now agreed to commission an independent study to ensure that the machines don't place travelers and operators in harm's way. The study will focus on backscatters, which...
Senator Claire McCaskill threatens legislation if FAA doesn't reconsider 'dated' in-flight electronics rules
US Senator Claire McCaskill has joined many others in urging the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider its limits on in-flight electronics, saying that she will take the matter to Congress if progress is too slow. In an open letter to the FAA, McCaskill called its policies — namely, a ban on electronic devices during takeoff and landing — "dated, at best" and argued that "such anachronistic policies undermine the public's confidence in the FAA," especially because pilots are...
Boeing 787 Dreamliner enters US service with United Airlines
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is officially now in service on US domestic routes, following its first international landing on American soil back in April. The state-of-the-art aircraft landed at Chicago's O'Hare airport on Sunday morning after a flight from Houston operated by United Airlines. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the plane landed almost 15 minutes ahead of schedule to an ovation from the passengers and crew.
United has ordered 50 Dreamliners, of which two have been shipped so far;...
TSA switching to faster, less-invasive X-ray body scanners in larger airports
The TSA has started removing the controversial X-ray body scanners, known as backscatters, from larger airports in the United States in exchange for faster millimeter-wave scanners. While there have been concerns surrounding backscatters with regards to privacy, potential health risks, and overall effectiveness, ProPublica claims the switch is being made in order to improve speeds at security checkpoints. Regardless, the new scanners do produce less powerful radio waves that are comparable to...
TSA convinces court to push 'nude' scanner hearings to March
A Washington, DC appeals court has given the TSA until the end of March to hold public hearings on its controversial airport body scanners, more than a year after first issuing the order. The court's latest order, handed down Tuesday, comes in response to a constitutional challenge from the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), which has accused the TSA of filibustering orders to comply with federally-mandated "notice and comment" protocol. Citing the TSA's 14-month delay, EPIC had...
Boeing to outfit planes for in-flight cellphone use by 2013
Boeing has announced plans to outfit some of its aircraft with equipment that would allow for in-flight cellphone use. In a press release issued Wednesday, the company said it has begun installing connectivity systems on all 747 and 777 planes, and that they should be completely cellphone-friendly by 2013. The manufacturer's 787 Dreamliner planes already include kits that allow for cellphone use, though Boeing plans to upgrade them with additional capabilities by the end of the year.
In...
American Airlines to equip all of its flight attendants with Galaxy Notes this year
Between Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets for passenger entertainment and Apple iPads for pilots, American Airlines has been embracing mobile device technology with open arms. Now the company will be taking the trend one step further by giving a Samsung Galaxy Note to all 17,000 of its flight attendants. The devices will be used to access customer information, track food and beverage preferences for premium class customers, identify special-needs passengers, and provide up-to-date flight and...
Now the price is also sky high: Gogo charging $10 an hour for Wi-Fi on certain flights
In-flight Wi-Fi usage hasn't necessarily "taken off" since its introduction in the US over four years ago, and now primary provider Gogo looks to be raising its prices by quite a bit. Pando Daily's Paul Carr noticed a steep hike on his flight today on Virgin America from San Francisco to JFK. Arguably the most useful choice, a full-flight pass, is no longer available on that flight; instead, Gogo charges $10 per hour for usage. The monthly subscription packages — Gogo Unlimited and the...
Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi licensed to begin service over Canada
Gogo Inflight, the major provider of airline broadband, has obtained a license to provide service over Canada. Because Gogo's network will operate on the same frequency as its current domestic Wi-Fi in the United States, the experience will be seamless when travelling between the two countries on international flights. Gogo will begin cell tower construction in the 4th quarter of this year, and it expects to roll out the service by the end of 2013.
Gogo says it will initially focus on...
Apps & Software
FlightTrack gets a complete visual overhaul in new free version of the flight monitoring app
FlightTrack has long been a favorite of frequent fliers for keeping tabs on flights — where they are, which gates they departed from and arrived to, and more — but for cheap jet-setters there hasn't been a free option until today. Free is certainly good, but what's even better about the new FlightTrack Free app for Android and iPhone is that it features a tasteful, simple redesign over its premium brethren. The key word is simple: when you open the app the only thing you're presented with...
Court orders non-compliant TSA to hold public hearings on full-body scanners
It’s been more than a year since a DC circuit court ordered TSA to hold public "notice-and-comment" rulemaking hearings for its Whole Body Imaging "nude" scanners, but the transportation authority still hasn’t complied. Now, the US Circuit Court of Appeals is issuing another order, this time demanding that the Department of Homeland Security (which oversees the TSA) explain within the month why it hasn't obeyed the original order, reports Wired.
Apps & Software
SeatGuru app brings its color-coded airplane seat maps to Android
SeatGuru has finally arrived on Android, bringing the popular website's color-coded airline seating maps to Google's mobile platform. The app debuted on iOS in March, and mimics the website's functionality rather closely. Punch in your flight number and SeatGuru will identify the type of plane you'll be flying on — displaying a color-coded map of the best and worst seats on your flight. The app can also track your flight's status, and offers ticket purchasing along with airfare comparisons....
Mobile
Gogo in-flight internet reaches 9.8Mbps speed on United p.s. flights in 2013
Starting next year, speedy satellite internet should allow air travelers to obtain broadband-like speeds in the sky, but in the meanwhile United is outfitting thirteen planes with faster Gogo Wi-Fi. Like US Airways and Virgin America before it, United will be using Gogo's latest ATG-4 system, which uses EV-DO Rev. B cellular technology, twin modems, and directional antennas to achieve a connection speed of 9.8Mbps per aircraft. For now, the airline is only upgrading its small United Premier...
Mobile
Skyhook's in-flight location API lets apps find you in mid-air
Location services provider Skyhook — best known for popularizing the concept of Wi-Fi location on phones and for a public spat with Google — has introduced version 4.6 of its mobile SDK this morning. Among the new features, one in particular stands out: "in-flight location," which quite literally allows app developers to get a user's current location even when they're in the air. Though Skyhook's press release doesn't go into details on how the technology works, it's very likely that the...
A year after court order, TSA still fails to comply with airport body scanner ruling
A full year after a Washington, DC circuit court ruled that the TSA must disclose information on their use of Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) body scanners in airports across the United States, the agency remains tight-lipped as ever about the controversial security practices. In an editorial today for Ars Technica, Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute, announced that he has started a petition on Whitehouse.gov demanding that the TSA respect the rule of...
Apps & Software
Airbus develops electronic flight bag apps for iPad-wielding pilots
A number of airlines have adopted iPads for their electronic flight bags (EFBs) as a way of cutting down on weight, and now airplane manufacturer Airbus is helping further lighten the load by offering apps for tablet-toting pilots. The "FlySmart with Airbus" series of apps will let pilots crunch performance calculations, as well as check up on Airbus' flight manuals without having to carry around a heavy book, essentially serving as an alternative to the current PC-based EFB software. The...
Delta adding Wi-Fi to international flights in 2013
Starting early next year, Delta will be adding in-flight Wi-Fi to its long-haul international flights. More than 150 planes will be outfitted with the service, which will use high-bandwidth Ku-band satellites for coverage. Delta already offers Gogo-powered air-to-ground Wi-Fi on its 550 domestic mainline planes, and it expects the international rollout to be complete by 2015 — at which point its worldwide fleet of internet-enabled aircraft is expected to total 1,000. While you'll have to...
Boeing 787's dimmable windows aren't dark enough for Japanese airline
With the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing has managed to build an extremely fuel efficient plane for long-haul flights. But there's another, much smaller, feature of the aircraft that's causing some issues — the windows. Japanese airline All Nippon Airways claims that the windows, which can be dimmed electronically, simply don't get dark enough. "For our passengers to have good sleep, we realized that it is important to offer appropriate darkness during flights especially for long haul," spokesman...
Italian airline Alitalia adds Motorola Xoom 2 for in-flight entertainment, customer service
Remember Scoot, the airline that replaced its in-flight entertainment system with iPads? It's not the only airline to start moving to tablets. Motorola Mobility is teaming up with Italian airline Alitalia to put the Xoom 2 in the hands of crew and passengers alike. For crew, the tablet will be used for keeping track of flight and passenger information. On some mid- and long-distance flights, business and "Magnifica" class passengers will also be given tablets pre-loaded with movies, music,...
Complimentary airport iPads help you kill time while waiting for your flight
The next time you're waiting for a plane in New York, Toronto, or Minneapolis, you might just be able to play around with a complimentary iPad to pass the time. OTG Management — which currently operates around 150 restaurants in nine different airports — will soon be rolling out a new service that lets passengers browse the web, play games, and order food using iPads placed around the airport. The tablets will be locked down so that they don't go missing, and while the service is free,...
Apple
Airline swaps in-flight entertainment system for iPads to lose weight and save fuel
Budget airline Scoot is replacing the built-in entertainment systems in its planes with iPads — and it's saving fuel along the way. When the airline received new planes from its parent company Singapore Airlines, it ripped out the existing systems to cut the planes' weight down by seven percent, which in turn helps reduce fuel costs. Passengers still have an entertainment option, though, as you can now rent an iPad 2 to keep occupied during the flight. The iPads come pre-loaded with 50GB...
Mobile
Virgin Atlantic now offering in-flight mobile service from London to New York
Virgin Atlantic Airways has announced that its new Airbus A330 planes, and later others, will let passengers make and receive cellphone calls while in the air. The company is using AeroMobile, a GSM service that's also signed deals with Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, and others; calls can be placed in-flight any time except during take-off and landing, and passengers are charged standard international roaming rates. This partnership makes Virgin the first UK carrier to allow voice mobile calls...
Homeland Security finds 'vulnerabilities' in airport body scanners
A classified report from late 2011 apparently outlined several vulnerabilities in the advanced imaging technology (AIT) full-body scanners used in many American airports, lending credence to criticism of the Transportation Security Administration. The report, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, wasn't released to the public for security purposes, but a short unclassified version was recently found by the Electronic Privacy Information Center. After...
Apps & Software
FlyRights app lets airline passengers file a profiling complaint with the TSA
The US Transportation Security Administration is far from the most popular of government agencies, but a new app is making it easier for people who believe they've been profiled to file a complaint. "FlyRights," released by The Sikh Coalition, was created after Sikh tech entrepreneurs complained that their beards and turbans were leading TSA guards to stop them too often at airports. "They literally said to one of our staff members, 'There should be an app for that'," says Coalition...
Boeing 787 Dreamliner makes US debut with nonstop flight from Tokyo to Boston
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner made its US debut on Sunday, with a commercial Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo to Boston. The aircraft has already been incorporated into All Nippon Airways' fleet of passenger planes, but Sunday's flight marked the 787's first foray into the US, as well as its maiden transpacific voyage. Japan Airlines also became the first carrier to offer non-stop service from Boston to Asia.
The 787 Dreamliner completed its first trip to Europe in January, and began offering...
Honeywell joins Inmarsat in developing 50Mbps in-flight Wi-Fi
In-flight Wi-Fi is expanding, but so far service tends to be relatively slow and unreliable compared to its landlocked counterpart. Network provider Inmarsat, however, has promised to boost its speeds to 50Mbps in the next year, and now engineering company Honeywell has signed onto the project as well. Under a new deal, Honeywell will produce on-board hardware that will connect to Inmarsat's Global Xpress satellites, the first of which is supposed to launch in 2013. The partnership could last...
Apps & Software
Qantas Windows Phone app uses live tiles to display flight information
Australian airline Qantas has released a new Windows Phone app onto the Marketplace, which uses live tiles to alert users when it's time to leave for the airport, along with their check-in, boarding and departure times. Alongside this, users are able to store boarding passes for domestic flights within the app, making it easier to remember everything in the rush to pack. The live tile is very similar to the one we saw demonstrated for British Airways at the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango launch,...
US Airways expanding in-flight Wi-Fi to 90 percent of domestic fleet
A new deal with in-flight Wi-Fi provider Gogo will see US Airways expand the service to 90 percent of its domestic mainline fleet. Wi-Fi will be added to the airline's Airbus A319, A320, and Embraer 190 planes, as well as Embraer 170 and 175 crafts operating under US Airways Express. The rollout is expected to begin this summer, and all of the Airbus planes will be outfitted with Gogo's latest air-to-ground technology, ATG-4, which it claims will "significantly increase the data rate" for the...
Apps & Software
SeatGuru app for iPhone and iPod touch released with color-coded airplane seat maps
Frequent fliers, take note: popular seat map website SeatGuru has released its iPhone app. The app is very similar to the website — it offers color-coded maps showing all of the seats and bathrooms on over 700 planes from 100 different airlines. If you've never used the site, all you do is plug in the airline, flight number, and date of your upcoming flight, and it'll give you seat recommendations. For example, you'll be told if certain seats have extended legroom, a power outlet, or if...
FAA taking 'fresh look' at ban on personal electronic devices during takeoff and landing
There might be a sliver of hope for those who want to finish up that last round of Words with Friends or read a Kindle during takeoff. The New York Times' Nick Bilton — who previously commissioned his own tests to demonstrate the safety of using electronic devices during taxi, takeoff, and landing — has heard from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the agency plans to take a "fresh look" at the ban. It might not be much, but that's the most we've ever heard concerning a change...
Policy & Law
TSA's full-body scanners easily defeated by hidden pockets, says critic
Can the TSA's $200,000 apiece full-body scanners be foiled simply by placing objects to the side of your body? That's what blogger Jonathan Corbett claims — and he's posted a video showing him smuggling a small metal tin through security at two different airports using a pocket sewn onto the side of his shirt. The scanners generate images of the front and rear of your body, with any objects a passenger may be concealing showing up in black against the bright white skin. Corbett suggests...
US Air Force places order for up to 18,000 iPads
Making good on its proposal from last month, the US Air Force has awarded a $9.4 million one-year contract to purchase up to 18,000 iPad 2 tablets. The tablets, purchased at a discount through vendor Executive Technology, will serve as "electronic flight bags" for pilots in the Air Mobility Command division, which primarily provides transport and refueling support. It would replace the paper manuals and charts that are currently in flight bags. Outside the military, some commercial airlines...
Four years after launch, why hasn't in-flight Wi-Fi caught on?
Even after four years, Wi-Fi on planes has a long way to go to prove successful. According to consulting group In-Stat, it's estimated that only around 7 percent of US commercial airline passengers used in-flight wireless in 2011 — up from 4 percent in 2010, but still not enough to be profitable. But while this is certainly disappointing to airlines and internet providers, it should hardly come as a surprise. Only 16 percent of US commercial flights had Wi-Fi in 2010, and service is often...
NFC airport check-in and other uses demonstrated by Orange and SITA
No-one likes airports, but NFC technology could go some way to reducing the stress a little. That's the possibility raised by a proof of concept from Orange Business Services and air transport research lab SITA, who have demonstrated how integrating NFC into mobile SIM cards may get you through the airport more smoothly. The idea centers around storing boarding pass information on the SIM card, meaning that you'd be able to check in, open security gates, or get easy access to airport lounges...
CES 2012
Ford and Gogo team up to offer 30 minutes of free in-air Wi-Fi on all Vegas flights during CES 2012
Ford and Gogo Wireless have announced on Twitter that they've teamed up to offer all CES-bound pilgrims 30 minutes of free in-air Wi-Fi. This deal covers the entire run of CES 2012, from January 7th to the 13th, on all planes in and out of Las Vegas, Nevada which are Wi-Fi equipped. We just flew in on Virgin America and can confirm that the deal is live — unfortunately, however, we can also confirm that having that many people log on in the air will degrade your speeds pretty fiercely. If...
Policy & Law
Tests poke holes in FAA's electronics ban on takeoff and landing — but does it matter?
Will the fallout from Alec Baldwin's ill-timed Words With Friends move ultimately lead the FAA to drop its ban on many types of consumer electronics during critical moments of a commercial flight? It's not just Baldwin, of course: The New York Times' Nick Bilton has taken the Federal Aviation Administration to task in the last several weeks over the ban. It's an issue that's certainly in the forefront right now, perhaps more than ever before; Kindles and iPads have moved from novelties to...
Web & Social
KLM to let airline travelers choose seating partners based on social media profiles
Dutch airline KLM is taking some of the surprise out of air travel with Meet & Seat, a new program that will let passengers pick who they sit next to using social networking tools. According to International Business Times, travelers will be able to link their flight check-in information to their existing online profiles. Details are still thin, but the intention is to let users evaluate other participants in the program and pick a seatmate with common interests.
This isn't the only attempt...
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 used by American Airlines for in-flight entertainment
Starting today, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available to first- and business-class passengers on a number of American Airlines international and domestic flights as an option for in-flight entertainment. The Galaxy Tab will replace current entertainment systems and be loaded with 70 movies, plus unspecified TV and music options; the airline also plans to bring more content to the Galaxy Tab, including Wi-Fi, games, and reading material. American Airlines is claiming it's the first...
Gogo airline Wi-Fi goes global in 2013, with Inmarsat Ka-band satellite for 50Mbps speeds
Gogo revealed plans to boost its in-flight internet service back in March, but today we're getting the first details. The company's partnering with Inmarsat to test global Ka-band satellite coverage starting in the middle of 2013 — when the first satellite launches — at speeds up to 50Mbps. Currently, Gogo provides the likes of Delta, Southwest, Virgin America, American and Alaska Airlines with an air-to-ground network of 3.1Mbps EV-DO Rev. A cellular, much like Verizon and Sprint 3G, but...
United and Continental begin in-flight Wi-Fi rollout in 2012
Well, this is great news. Beginning in mid-2012 United and Continental airlines will outfit 300 of their planes with in-flight Wi-Fi in an agreement with Panasonic Avionics Corporation. Panasonic's Ku-band Wi-Fi is special because it will enable both airlines to offer connectivity on international flights, which no other American operator currently has.
While the company expects to have its entire fleet covered by 2015, it will begin with the Airbus A319 and A320 and Boeing 747, 757, 767, 777...
United Airlines deploying iPad-based electronic flight bags to all its pilots
United has announced that it's rolling out some 11,000 iPads to its pilots for use as electronic flight bags (EFBs), replacing roughly 38 pounds of conventional paper charts and documentation that need to be lugged around — some 12,000 pages per pilot — which the airline says will lead to annual savings of 326,000 gallons of jet fuel. Though Alaska Airlines beat United to the paperless cockpit, United is the largest carrier to make the move (in fact, it's the largest carrier, period),...
