In-flight WiFi is about to get a lot faster

With in-flight Wi-Fi finally emerging from its role as a punch line, there’s good news for sky warriors who routinely curse their connection, or lack thereof. The cost of buying and installing better hardware has fallen far enough that many airlines have begun upgrading to faster speeds, and smaller airlines are adopting Wi-Fi for the first time. Here’s the bad news: What you’ll pay for it might end up being a lot. Worldwide, 82 airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi—12 more than last year—with the amenity now common enough that there’s a 43% chance your plane will have it when you plunk down in your seat, according to an annual airline report from New York-based Routehappy Inc. (And more than 80% in America.) Airbus and Boeing also fit most of these newer systems onto new airplanes as part of the final assembly process. In terms of the most Wi-Fi access, Delta, American Airlines and Emirates take the top three spots, with Delta and Emirates also among the 13 airlines that offer Wi-Fi on all of their long-haul flights, according to the report released Tuesday. Routehappy divides Wi-Fi quality into best, better and basic categories, with the basic category—no streaming media capability—rapidly losing favour. Story has more details.<br/>