Spirit to equip fleet with WiFi

Spirit Airlines is close to signing a deal to equip its entire Airbus A320 family fleet with WiFi, in a move that departs from the airline's long-held strategy of eschewing amenities on board. Spirit CE Bob Fornaro tells FlightGlobal that installations will begin in 2018. The carrier expects it will take about a year for the entire fleet to be equipped. Spirit's new in-flight connectivity service will also allow passengers to stream entertainment to their own devices, he says. "If it's just about [being able to send] e-mails, we won't be doing it," says Fornaro. He declines to specify when Spirit will announce the deal, but says the carrier is "very close" to signing an agreement. The airline's decision to equip its fleet with in-flight connectivity is a surprise, given that it has steadfastly held to an ultra low-cost business model that offers few frills on board. Fornaro says the move will cater to the airline's growing customer base of younger passengers, who are "much more computer savvy".<br/>