Air India In Talks With Global Agencies To Have In-flight Wifi For Its International Flights

State-owned national carrier Air India may soon have mobile internet access on board for its international flights. The airline is in discussions with various global agencies which provide equipment for satellite broadband access. This facility is now available on other airlines such as British Airways, American Airlines, Emirates and Lufthansa.

According to sources, the Airline's top officials met OnAir, the largest such agency in Geneva, this year, to discuss the options of installing on board Wifi base stations on international flights. OnAir is a subsidiary of aviation technology provider (SITA).

"It's just a matter of time we will have access of satellite broadband on board our international flights. We are in discussions with various agencies and have met officials of OnAir. We will take a decision on it in the coming few months,"said Anil Sondhi, executive director, materials management and information technology at Air India.

"As headphones started as a paid service on airlines, a few decades ago, but soon became free, so will Wifi access in the coming years," he added.

Sondhi declined to confirm pricing of the service or the international routes on which the service will start. Air India has also met with officials of Thales, a French MNC which makes cockpit electronics.

Ian Dawkins CEO of OnAir confirmed meetings with Air India officials. "Basic internet functions such as access of emails, social media messaging on Facebook or Twitter for the entire cabin and cockpit is possible with current technology. However seamless streaming of YouTube videos will take a few years to become a possibility," said Dawkins, who supplies his technology to airlines such as British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Emirates.

However, domestic air-space in India will remain out of bound for Wifi access due to archaic rules of the aviation regulator. As per rules of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), use of any electronic device which transmit radio signals such as mobile phones or radio is prohibited on flights.

On the other hand several international airlines have already started offering the service free to passengers.
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