Delta Air Lines has equipped a total 500 aircraft with Aircell's Gogo in-flight Internet system, and is looking to complete installs on its entire domestic mainline fleet this summer.
"This week marks the 500th Wi-Fi installation, a really impressive feat on the part of Delta TechOps, Aircell/Gogo and the installation teams," says Delta senior product manager of in-flight entertainment Chris Babb in an online blog message.
In addition to the 500 installed aircraft, says Babb, the carrier also has 32 installations that have been partially completed but they'll require some additional engineering work to find alternate locations for the antennas. These aircraft will be routed back for the second phase of installation upon completion of supplemental type certification.
"Our engineering teams are targeting a date later in the summer for the start of the completion line due to FAA approval time and cable lead times," says Babb.
Since Delta's first installation of Gogo in December 2008, the carrier has been averaging one install about every 1.5 days.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
