(First off, this applies to more than just US Airways, but I'm not sure what forum area to put this under, so could the Mods please bump this to the appropriate forum? Thanks)
For those airlines who have some form of in flight internet, Delta, American, Southwest, United, and US Airways, I have noticed it would be difficult for those people who don't have credit cards, or don't carry them in flight for whatever reason, to purchase the GoGo, or whatever the in flight internet service is. This would apply more to minors, who typically don't have credit cards. Would it just be easier to list, Air Canada style (I'll explain it below for those who do not know what I am referring to), in flight internet, to be added before you book the flight, if that flight has the option of it? For example, when someone selects their seats, they can also pre-purchase internet service, and the cost will simply be added to their ticket. I do see one problem, more for if Southwest decided to do this, which is if the customer pre-purchases the internet service, and due to an operational incident, or aircraft swap, etc, the plane is not equipped with in flight internet. The solution would then be either discount the pre-purchase cost, or issue refunds. I am not intimately familiar with the method currently used, which I assume is, when you get on the aircraft, you connect to the internet, then purchase it through gogo's website.
Airlines would tie into the gogo/Route44 (WN's internet) system, where the cost would immediately go to GoGo, then the customer would not have to pay on the aircraft. A confirmation code of some sort would be the method that the customer would log into the in flight internet system. This confirmation code would be used once, and would be more of a giftcard-like way to use the service.
(Air Canada style, which I referred to, is after you select your Air Canada flights, the next screen before purchase will give the you various options to purchase, such as lounge access, priority seat selections, coupons to purchase snack items on board, etc.)
For those airlines who have some form of in flight internet, Delta, American, Southwest, United, and US Airways, I have noticed it would be difficult for those people who don't have credit cards, or don't carry them in flight for whatever reason, to purchase the GoGo, or whatever the in flight internet service is. This would apply more to minors, who typically don't have credit cards. Would it just be easier to list, Air Canada style (I'll explain it below for those who do not know what I am referring to), in flight internet, to be added before you book the flight, if that flight has the option of it? For example, when someone selects their seats, they can also pre-purchase internet service, and the cost will simply be added to their ticket. I do see one problem, more for if Southwest decided to do this, which is if the customer pre-purchases the internet service, and due to an operational incident, or aircraft swap, etc, the plane is not equipped with in flight internet. The solution would then be either discount the pre-purchase cost, or issue refunds. I am not intimately familiar with the method currently used, which I assume is, when you get on the aircraft, you connect to the internet, then purchase it through gogo's website.
Airlines would tie into the gogo/Route44 (WN's internet) system, where the cost would immediately go to GoGo, then the customer would not have to pay on the aircraft. A confirmation code of some sort would be the method that the customer would log into the in flight internet system. This confirmation code would be used once, and would be more of a giftcard-like way to use the service.
(Air Canada style, which I referred to, is after you select your Air Canada flights, the next screen before purchase will give the you various options to purchase, such as lounge access, priority seat selections, coupons to purchase snack items on board, etc.)
