Japan Airlines is set to offer inflight internet connectivity on Australian flights in the not-too-distant future, following the introduction of the new technology in mid-2012 on services from Japan to Europe and North America.

Japan Airlines (pictured is the carrier’s ‘Eco Jet’) will
deploy aircraft with the new WiFi system to Sydney

The system – Panasonic’s broadband Ku connectivity solution eXConnect – will initially be deployed on the airline’s fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft, which fly long-haul international routes across the globe, including to Sydney.

“The airline plans to eventually equip its entire long-range fleet with this function, subsequently expanding this service to the rest of its international network,” the airline said in a statement.

“There has been increasing demand for mobile Internet connectivity even in-flight as customers value the options to do work or stay in contact with family and friends while on the go and also to have alternative forms of in-flight entertainment especially for long hours onboard.
   
“Customers with their own personal electronic devices such as laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled gadgets will soon be able to experience the same connectivity and convenience of ground-level broadband Internet access, thousands of feet up in the air whenever they fly with JAL.

“The new in-flight service will not only allow customers in every cabin class to check and send emails, stay abreast with updates on their social media network and browse the World Wide Web, but also allow fast transfers of large data files just as in a Wi-Fi environment on the ground,” the airline said.

As with most international airlines offering WiFi, Japan Airlines will charge for the service, however, pricing has not yet been revealed.