Lufthansa to relaunch on-board broadband service

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Lufthansa, one of the world’s largest airlines, will bring back in-flight broadband Internet service. Credit: Lufthansa.

After an unsuccessful first bid, Deutsche Lufthansa announced Monday that customers would once again be able to communicate mid-flight using broadband Internet.

The German airline said it would reintroduce FlyNet, its satellite-based Internet service, by mid-2010. In addition to wireless Internet access, the service will enable Lufthansa passengers to send text messages and transfer data on smartphones.

Lufthansa is partnering in the venture with Japanese electronics giant Panasonic Corp. Lufthansa said it planned to equip a major part of its long-range fleet with FlyNet within the first year of operation.

If FlyNet works as planned, Lufthansa will be the first airline to carry high-speed connections that cover various handheld and Wi-Fi devices. Other airlines’ Internet capabilities aren’t as extensive or as fast. Lufthansa Chief Executive and Chairman Wolfgang Mayrhuber said passengers could look forward to superior in-flight service.

“On long-haul routes, we offer business travelers, in particular, a range of communication options on par with those available at land-based hot spots or premium hotels,” he said in a statement.

Passengers can choose to be billed through a mobile service provider or pay by credit card, the company said. Travelers should also be able to redeem award miles for use of the Wi-Fi Internet connections, Lufthansa said. The prices for specific services will be announced at a later date.

This is not Lufthansa’s first step into the broadband arena. In 2004, the carrier was one of 10 international airlines that installed Boeing Co.’s Internet broadband service called Connexion. Lufthansa outfitted 63 of its 80 long-haul aircraft with the service -- at about $1 million per plane.

When Boeing ended the service in 2006, it was embarrassing for Lufthansa, which had poured millions into promoting and installing Connexion. But Paul Margis, chief executive of Panasonic Avionics Corp., said previous experience makes the company an ideal launch customer for the new broadband service.

“Lufthansa was a true pioneer with their FlyNet branded service,” he said in a statement. “We are proud to bring FlyNet back to their passengers.”

-- W.J. Hennigan