American Airlines is launching its new AA Wi-Fi Widget that enables customers to identify Wi-Fi equipped flights 24 hours prior to departure. The tool allows travelers to find out if their AA flight will be scheduled with Wi-Fi enabled aircraft. American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi is provided by Gogo Inflight Internet
A brief video on how Gogo works.
Internet connectivity is now available on all Boeing 767-200 aircraft, select MD80’s and is coming soon to our 737 fleet. You can enjoy complimentary access to all AA.com has to offer — book flights, hotel or car rental, check your AAdvantage® account and more. And with prices as low as $5.95 per session, Gogo® Inflight Internet provides full broadband web, VPN and e-mail access so you can stay connected during your flight.
This widget can be embedded in your blog, web site and social pages. Its written in Flash, so the usual JavaScript limitations aren’t a factor.
Connectivity via Wi-Fi is becoming a necessity instead of just a convenience. As this trend progresses we will see many more instances of these types of tools that help you predict your ability to connect.
What I found missing here is a desktop version of this widget. A Windows 7, Mac or Linux version would be smart. But I think the best play would come in the form of a Smart Phone App! People are far more likely to use their iPhone to search for this information on a “spur of the moment” basis.
