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You may soon be surfing the internet on Air India's long haul nonstops to North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia. The airline has asked Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to work out the feasibility and give an estimate of how much will it cost to install its aircraft with Wi-Fi on board. The airline has also started talks with some international onboard Internet providers.
"We are keen to have internet on board as AI operates the longest flights out of India and this is a facility that is being increasingly provided by several leading global airlines. However, we are first seeing how much will the project cost and if found feasible we will like to have the same on our aircraft," said a senior official. AI chief Ashwani Lohani recently met his BSNL counterpart Anupam Srivastava to take this issue forward.
" Depending on the cost, we will see whether we can opt for it and if yes, for which flights - international and/or domestic; whether it can be free or what charges should be levied. By the time we take a call on these issues, India is also expected to relax the norms for internet on aircraft in its airspace," said the official.
AI had toyed with this idea about two years ago. It had then met officials of Geneva-based OnAir, which provides both internet and mobile connectivity to almost 30 top airlines globally. The airline was then told that India had rules which require a local server for airlines wishing to provide internet. Plus the cost was too high.
Air India in talks with BSNL for onboard internet - ET Telecom
"We are keen to have internet on board as AI operates the longest flights out of India and this is a facility that is being increasingly provided by several leading global airlines. However, we are first seeing how much will the project cost and if found feasible we will like to have the same on our aircraft," said a senior official. AI chief Ashwani Lohani recently met his BSNL counterpart Anupam Srivastava to take this issue forward.
" Depending on the cost, we will see whether we can opt for it and if yes, for which flights - international and/or domestic; whether it can be free or what charges should be levied. By the time we take a call on these issues, India is also expected to relax the norms for internet on aircraft in its airspace," said the official.
AI had toyed with this idea about two years ago. It had then met officials of Geneva-based OnAir, which provides both internet and mobile connectivity to almost 30 top airlines globally. The airline was then told that India had rules which require a local server for airlines wishing to provide internet. Plus the cost was too high.
Air India in talks with BSNL for onboard internet - ET Telecom
