Fliers' Net-surfing days inch closer

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2007 | by Roger Yu

For most of this decade, airlines have held out the prospect of making in-flight Internet connections routinely available.

But the 9/11 terrorism stilled the industry's first big push. And last year, slow sales to airlines caused aerospace giant Boeing to end its involvement with a broadband service that had been offered on a handful of foreign carriers.

Now, in another significant push toward onboard Internet service, a half-dozen technology companies are jockeying to offer in-flight broadband to scores of airlines that have asked for bids.

American Airlines said last week that it'll work with Colorado-based AirCell to offer the service in 2008. And German carrier Lufthansa last week chose T-Mobile International as the provider of its in-flight...