Alaska Air "will test a system from Row 44, a provider of broadband communication for airlines, on a Boeing 737 in spring 2008," and depending upon results, it plans to equip its 114-aircraft fleet.

This technology will allow passengers with Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptop computers, PDAs, smartphones and portable gaming systems to have high-speed access to the Internet, e-mail, virtual private networks and stored in-flight entertainment content.

American Airlines is joining other carriers like Lufthansa and Qantas, to provide its passengers with WiFi access via AirCell.

Beginning with the Boeing 767-200 aircraft, which primarily fly transcontinental route, the service is an air-to-ground network.

“We understand that broadband connectivity is important to our business customers and others who want to use their PDAs and laptops for real-time, in-flight broadband communications,” said Dan Garton, Executive Vice President – Marketing for American Airlines. “This is part of our continuing effort to take the lead in enhancing the travel experience for our customers and meet their evolving needs.”

“Travelers are already bringing their own Wi-Fi enabled devices onto planes,” said Jack Blumenstein, AirCell CEO. “Bringing broadband access onto domestic flights at an everyday, affordable price provides travelers the opportunity to recapture time. Making productive use of the time in the air will give them time back on the ground with family or just relaxing.”

The cost of this service has yet to be announced, but I will gladly give up the food for this!

United Airlines is upgrading passenger comfort with lie-flat seating, and the Business cabin gets cool gadgets like new 15.4-inch LCDs, a USB port, and an iPod adapter to let you charge your iPod and play your own music and videos on the seat’s entertainment unit. You will have 20 channels of "stored XM audio," with an additional 30 channels of other "stored audio." They will even give you noise canceling headphones. No word on meals though…