American Airlines Offers Internet Access….For a Fee Of Course!

American Airlines provides internet access

American Airlines to offer Internet access on flights

This is why the American airline industry is a joke. American Airlines announced yesterday that they were going to provide in-flight internet access providing air based e-mail, web and other online services. The service is fine, I mean whatever these guys can do to generate revenue is a good thing.

Here’s the problem..

While slashing services and implementing new fees across the board, a new product that people could actually use is a great idea. Problem is, like the AirFone, it is priced completely wrong. American is introducing the service for $12.95 per flight on flights connecting New York with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.

Herein lies the rub….

That’s how much I paid for a month of dial-up back in the day. I know it’s not dial-up and I know it’s an internet connection at thirty thousand feet. But why not $9.99 or $4.99? The take rate would more than enough to make up the difference.

But the airlines have never been good at pricing. They have their software that continues to add $100 dollar bills to the total the closer you get to takeoff and that’s how they price everything.

But it’s internet service so they should have a hit on their hands. Now, they need to give you enough room to open your laptop and be able to actually work while you’re flying the friendly skies!