Up in the Air: Wireless Fliers Getting Free Facebook

Frequent fliers on seven airlines can now access Facebook free for the month of February, courtesy of wireless WiFi network provider GoGo Inflight.

Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Delta, American Airlines, Virgin America and AirTran will provide free Internet access to the social network all month via a limited-time promotion. Accessible via laptop, PDA or smartphone (including GoGo’s free BlackBerry, iPhone and iPod Touch instant sign-in app), your profile can be updated once planes reach 10,000 feet. GoGo wireless Internet access is presently available via 1100 commercial planes and 5000 private jets, and serves over 3800 flights a day.

Additional services, including e-mail, instant messaging or web surfing on other sites will cost $4.95 and up (averaging $9.95 for a single flight). Although month-long service plans can be pricey, the service often proves a boon to business travelers and terminally bored fliers stuck twiddling their thumbs on cross-country jaunts.

Available to North American passengers traveling the continental United States, sharing pithy status updates and self portraits should prove a welcome alternative to current in-flight entertainment options, e.g. free peanuts and chintzy romantic comedies.