Wi-Fi in the air: Air India to launch Wi-Fi on its flights soon

In a major update from the aviation industry, Air India is all set to introduce Wi-Fi on its flights. Soon, passengers on Air India flights will be able to scroll through their social media platforms and do other important work which requires internet connectivity. As per reports, the A350 aircraft on the Delhi to London Heathrow route will be the first one to serve its passengers with Wi-Fi services.

On September 2, Air India informed that it has begun services between Delhi and the UK's London Heathrow airport with the A350-900 plane. The airline called it an "ambitious transformation journey" in the statement and said that the flight will operate two times a day on the route.
More about Air India's A350 aircraft

When it comes to Air India's A350, the aircraft has 28 private suites. All these suites are replete with full-flat beds in business. Whereas there are 24 seats in premium economy and 24 seats in economy class.
Owned by Tata Group, Air India started inducting the Airbus A350 aircraft into its fleet earlier this year.

Read more: 8 most challenging countries to get citizenship and settle down

As of now, there are several flights providing in-flight Wi-Fi for passengers. It is also expected that nearly all airlines will offer this service in the future to meet growing passenger demand and expectations.

How Wi-Fi works on planes?

There’s always a curiosity amid people to know about how Wi-Fi works on airplanes. So, basically it depends on the airline and aircraft: air-to-ground and satellite Wi-Fi. The air-to-ground method works like your phone's internet connection. Cell towers on the ground send Wi-Fi signals up to the planes flying above.

Read more: Socotra: The mysterious 'Alien Island' of the Indian Ocean

The other method uses satellites. Planes are equipped with antennas on top that receive signals from satellites to provide Wi-Fi for passengers. This technology is relatively new, but many airlines are starting to use it.

Airlines offering onboard Wi-Fi

There are several airlines now offering Wi-Fi to passengers. Some of the most prominent ones are JetBlue, Norwegian Air, Philippine Airlines, Air New Zealand, China Eastern Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and Lufthansa, among others. This amenity helps improve connectivity and passenger comfort during flights.