• Boston Globe, Wednesday, May 13, 2009 10:45 AM

Airlines once viewed Wi-Fi in the sky as a desirable amenity but now increasingly see it as a necessary feature, Paul Makishima reports. Following similar moves by other airlines, AirTran said Tuesday that it would offer in-flight wireless Internet access on all of its aircraft by midsummer.

The airlines say they're offering Wi-Fi because passengers who are used to being able to connect with family, friends and employers online at all times are demanding it. "We had a website up ... where people could tell us what they wanted, and in-flight Wi-Fi was at the top of the list," says AirTran spokesman Christopher White.

Industry analysts say that Internet access has become so much a part of the fabric of everyday life that not having it puts an airline at a competitive disadvantage. "In today's tough business climate, in-flight Wi-Fi is as essential as the beverage cart, says Henry H. Harteveldt, principal airline analyst for Forrester Research.

Read the whole story at Boston Globe »