Delta allowing passengers free Wi-Fi access to use iMessage and similar apps

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According to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, the company will now allow passengers free Wi-Fi access for messaging apps. This includes iMessage, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. Of course, that is contingent on whether or not the plane itself offers onboard Wi-Fi. Many airlines offer Wi-Fi on their flights but it can get expensive and often it doesn’t work all that well. This offering is probably a nice marketing play which should win Delta some fans.

“Starting this weekend, any flight you’re on, anywhere in the world you’ll have the ability to text for free,” Bastian said. “We want our customers while they’re flying to stay connected to their homes, to their friends.”

Staying connected to family and friends can be an important thing for some passengers. Other passengers, like myself, often enjoy the disconnect from the world and the internet (even for a few hours).

One consumer survey says Delta Air Lines is ranked second in the United States among traditional carriers. The Atlanta-based airline flies to 334 destinations in 62 countries. Delta offers more than 15,000 flights every day and carries more than 180 million passengers a year. Bastian joined Delta in 1998 and took over as chief executive officer in May last year.

Messaging apps generally don’t take up that much bandwidth, unless users are sending large media files. The company may have some limitations set on the size of messages that can be sent. Of course, you’ll also have to consider that Delta’s network may not be secure, so your communication could be compromised. Still, it’s a nice perk for those who absolutely need that constant connection.

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What do you think of free Wi-Fi access for iMessage and similar apps on Delta flights? Let us know what you think in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.

[button link=”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/delta-text-messaging-free-in-flight/” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: CBS News[/button]
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