Delta to Upgrade In-Flight Wi-Fi and Expand Coverage Areas for Customers

Satellite-based systems will replace air-to-ground systems on more than 250 aircraft serving long-haul domestic, Latin American and Caribbean routes

Delta supports Gogo's effort to develop faster air-to-ground Internet connections

News provided by

Delta Air Lines

Feb 25, 2015, 09:00 ET

ATLANTA, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) will upgrade the in-flight Wi-Fi service its customers experience with broadband speeds and expanded coverage. The upgrades will extend Wi-Fi access beyond the shores of the North America for customers traveling between the U. S. and Latin America or the Caribbean. Gogo (NASDAQ: GOGO) will begin updating Delta's long-haul domestic aircraft currently using air-to-ground technology with satellite-based technology starting in 2016.

Delta upgrades Wi-Fi reach with latest Gogo technology.

In addition, Delta will support Gogo's efforts to develop the industry's newest technology with Gogo's next generation air-to-ground service for its short-haul aircraft, which will feature faster connection at broadband speeds. Today's announcement is the latest step Delta is taking to improve the travel experience and continue leading the industry with innovative technology solutions for its customers.

"Global connectivity equals global productivity and business travelers want greater bandwidth, faster speeds and broader network coverage," said Tim Mapes, Senior Vice President - Marketing. "That's exactly what they will get when they fly Delta."

Satellite-based 2Ku upgrades
More than 250 of Delta's aircraft on long-haul domestic, Latin American and Caribbean routes will have access to Wi-Fi when they fly over water or outside existing air-to-ground service areas with the upgrades to 2Ku. The satellite-based system will be installed on:

Boeing 757-300 aircraft
Boeing 757-200 aircraft
Boeing 737-900ER aircraft
Boeing 737-800 aircraft
Airbus A319 aircraft

2Ku service will also be offered on Delta's Airbus A321 aircraft when they enter the Delta's fleet beginning in 2016.

Air-to-ground technology improvements
Short-haul domestic aircraft in Delta's fleet with air-to-ground systems will be upgraded with Gogo's next generation air-to-ground technology as it becomes available. Delta's Boeing 717-200, MD-88 and MD-90 aircraft are slated to get the system and will also offer significantly upgraded speeds.

International Wi-Fi
Delta has completed installation of Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi on more than one-third of its international fleet and will be 85 percent complete by the end of 2015. In mid-2016, its entire international fleet, including all of its Boeing 777, 767, 747, Airbus A330 and transoceanic Boeing 757 aircraft operating on long-haul routes will offer Wi-Fi. The addition of in-flight Internet on nearly 150 aircraft will expand the number of Delta's aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi to approximately 1,000 to offer customers the most global Wi-Fi access of any carrier. 2Ku service will be offered on Airbus A330-900Neo and A350-900 aircraft when they enter the Delta fleet.

Delta Studio
Customers can access free and paid streaming entertainment options through Delta Studio on any of Delta's Wi-Fi-equipped domestic flights using their own portable electronic devices. With expanded connectivity options, Delta Studio will be available on Caribbean and Latin American routes operated by domestic aircraft. Delta Studio was introduced in 2014 and features a new customer portal with improved navigation for accessing entertainment options. Customers in First Class and Economy Comfort receive complimentary access to premium content while customers in the Economy have access to a wide selection of complimentary entertainment.

Delta already operates the world's largest Wi-Fi-equipped fleet, with more than 3,500 Internet connected flights daily, including its entire fleet of 620 domestic mainline aircraft. More than 940 Delta aircraft, including all Delta Connection two-class regional jets and more than 35 percent of its international fleet are equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi service offering more than 370,000 customers per day access while in the air.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 170 million customers each year. Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for four consecutive years, a first for any airline. Additionally, Delta was named to FORTUNE magazine's top 50 World's Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fourth time in five years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 326 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta's blog takingoff.delta.com.