Continental Airlines last week introduced a service that allows passengers to access the Internet, transmit a fax, check stock quotes and play computer games - all at 30,000 feet.
The FlightLink places a computer screen on the back of each seat, above the fold-down tray. Nine Continental planes are equipped with FlightLink, and by the end of the year, the airline plans to have 183 planes with the service.Continental is the latest airline to offer the service.
USAir and America West set up FlightLink in several of their planes last year, said Daniel J. Theriault, marketing director of In-Flight Phone Corp., which installs FlightLink. Both USAir, which offers the service on 10 percent of its planes, and America West, which offers its on one-third, plan to extend the service throughout their fleets.
"What we've found out is (passengers) love having it here so long as it's an elective display type of system," Theriault said. "If they turn the screen off when the door closes and they don't want to look at it, they don't have to."
FlightLink's equipment is located in slim metal boxes that stands underneath each seat. Users pull out a slender handset that has a keyboard on one side and a telephone receiver from under the armrest.
The service can be used through the entire flight, including takeoff and landing. This differs from the use of personal computers and CD players, which interfere with the plane's wiring and cannot be used at certain times of a flight.
A passenger who wants to use the system takes out the handset, which is attached by a wire cord, and slides a credit card through the side of the receiver. Initially, calls will cost 99 cents a minute. The cost will be raised to $2 a minute after the promotion ends.
Passengers with personal computers can log-on to the Internet through the telephone line, the same way they would on the ground. But, the airline does require computers to be turned off during takeoff and landing.
Business travelers can use the system to get messages. Passengers enter information into the system, and those trying to reach them can call a toll-free number. On the plane, the FlightLink screen lights up, indicating a message is pending.
Using the keyboard side of the handset, passengers can use a certain number of services for free. They can access stock quotes, order gifts by using a hard copy catalog, send flowers and make travel reservations.
They also can view a map of the airport they're headed to and get connecting gate information.
For $3, they can play many computer games, such as Tic Tac Toe.
Diane Schad, senior director of marketing for Continental, said parents love the computer games because it keeps their kids occupied.
In-Flight is installing the system at no cost to Continental. The Oakbrook, Ill.-based In-Flight is spending $200,000 per airplane to set up FlightLink.