Delta offers free messaging
The latest free perk on U.S. airlines: Mobile messaging.
Delta Air Lines announced Wednesday morning that customers on its Wi-Fi enabled planes will be able to communicate via iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger at no charge. Delta’s free messaging begins Sunday (Oct. 1) and will be available to customers whether or not they’ve paid for in-flight WiFi access.
Delta says passengers will have the free messaging option on all of its Wi-Fi-enabled flights. To access free messaging, fliers on Delta can unlock the option via the carrier’s Wi-Fi portal page. The option will allow text use only and will not support the transfer of photo or video files, according to the airline.
Delta says its move makes it the first of the USA’s three big global carriers (American and United are the others) to offer the perk. But it’s not the first overall. Customers on JetBlue already had access to free in-flight Wi-Fi, which would allow many of the same capabilities — plus streaming and Web surfing.
Alaska Airlines customers have had access to free in-flight messaging on its Wi-Fi enabled aircraft since January, and the airline has since rolled out complimentary messaging to all flights on merger partner Virgin America.