Did TSA Just Peal the Death Knell of In-Flight Internet?

Temporary TSA rules in the wake of attempted detonation of something during Detroit landing mean no electronics during last hour of flight: The rules in place right now prohibit anything in your lap, standing up, using the restroom, and any access to your carry-on baggage. Carry-on limits have already been tightened as well, further than the existing tiny ones. The last-hour limits sound similar but more restrictive than the rules when flying into Reagan National in D.C.

This rules don't yet appear to apply during the first part of a flight, but it's typically at least 20 minutes after takeoff until the 10,000-foot limit has been passed, and later when the fasten seatbelt light is turned off.

For in-flight Internet providers Aircell and Row 44, this could be devastating if the rules remain in place. For flights up to 3 hours, which I believe are at least half of U.S. domestic mainline (non-regional jet) flights because of the hub system, that leaves precious little time to use any electronics, and makes it unlikely someone will pay the $10 rate for those flights. For longer flights, the $13 rate Aircell levies may be more reasonable, but travelers will now be mentally removing 90 or more minutes from the useful time they have.

If these rules remain in place, I will be curious how quickly Aircell and its partner airlines change pricing, and whether in-fight Internet upgrades to planes continue at the pace they were at.

Connexion by Boeing had a lot of factors against it, but one of the key ones was new rules and a drop in airline revenue following 9/11.

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