Deutsche Telekom has launched a commercial Wi-Fi hotspot service on selected Lufthansa inter-continental flights. The FlyNet broadband internet service is provided in co-operation with Panasonic Avionics.
The service offers download speeds of up to 5 Mbps, and on average data volumes of around 2.35 GB and 250 MB are downloaded and uploaded, respectively, per flight. FlyNet offers Lufthansa passengers unlimited internet access at 30,000 feet via a Telekom hotspot. It can be used with WiFi-enabled notebooks and suitably equipped smartphones such as iPhones and BlackBerry devices.
FlyNet is currently available on selected Lufthansa North Atlantic routes. By end-2011 it will be available on nearly the entire Lufthansa long-haul network. Telekom customers can use in-flight Internet within the terms of their contract for EUR 1.79 per 10 minutes. Other passengers are also able to use the service. They can pay by credit card, via their provider if their provider is a WiFi roaming partner of Telekom, or by redeeming Miles & More award miles. The standard credit card offer costs EUR 10.95 for one hour or EUR 19.95 for 24‑hour access, which customers can purchase onboard and continue to use in Lufthansa lounges or on connecting Lufthansa long-haul flights which are FlyNet-equipped.
