In-Flight WiFi Takes Off

Now you can manically check your inbox from 40,000 feet, reports Walter Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal. Certain American Airlines routes between New York and Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami will offer in-flight WiFi starting in July, and Virgin America will have it later in the year. The service will cost $12.95 for longer flights, and $9.95 for shorter ones.

Mossberg tried the service, called Gogo, on a test flight and says it works reasonably fast for almost all normal Web tasks. A possible exception is video streaming, as the system prioritizes low-bandwidth activities over high-bandwidth ones. Gogo will block phone calls, including Internet-based calling, however, and it won’t work on international flights. (More air travel stories.)