Delta to offer free messaging on flights starting in October. Anyone using their wi-fi will be free to send messages through formats such as iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
One of the reasons why this wasn’t available in the past has to do with available bandwidth. It’s not easy to provide the same internet speeds that people are accustomed to on the ground.
Netflix is one company that has offered their services to help increase the bandwidth in air, which would then, in turn, allow for more Netflix streaming on flights as well. Other companies such as Gogo and ViaSat are currently working on bandwidth technology as well.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian explained why they were now offering the free messaging options.
“We want our customers while they’re flying to stay connected to their homes, to their friends.”
