Continental Airlines offers Verizon Airfone JetConnect with Email on Entire Domestic Fleet

Continental Airlines has completed installation of Verizon Airfone JetConnect with Email to become the first airline to offer three of the most popular business applications, two-way e-mail, instant messaging and text messaging, on its fleet of 737, 757 and MD 80 aircraft.

For US$15.98 per flight, Verizon Airfone JetConnect with Email allows passengers to send and receive an unlimited number of e-mail messages per flight. Data in excess of 5 KB (kilobyte) per message and attachments incur a cost of ten cents per Kb.

Continental also offers JetConnect for US$ 5.99 per flight that provides passengers with instant access to laptop data services including instant and text messaging, weather updates, national, international and business news, sports and stock listings, and entertainment and destination information. JetConnect with Email includes all the features of JetConnect.

There are no hidden fees with these services. For e-mail messages larger than 5Kb, customers will receive a prompt message to accept the charge before opening the e-mail. No credit card charges will be applied without customer authorization.

"With installation now complete, our customers are able to stay connected and be more productive in the air on every domestic flight," said Mark Bergsrud, vice president, marketing programs, Continental Airlines.

Continental was the first carrier to provide JetConnect service on board its aircraft, offering it to its customers since November 2002. The carrier began offering JetConnect with Email in July 2003.

"Continental saw how much travelers' productivity was enhanced with JetConnect and the airline has embraced this opportunity to serve business professionals and frequent travelers," said Bill Pallone, president of Verizon Airfone. "Passengers will be able to respond instantly to a text message or an email query from an office-based colleague."

Customers access JetConnect by plugging their laptops into jacks on the Verizon Airfone handsets. No software downloads or changes to connection procedures are required. Customers just use their standard dial-up routine to link to JetConnect. JetConnect with Email is accessible via Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail, POP3, Microsoft Exchange via Outlook Web access and Lotus Notes via POP. To log onto the service, customers need to provide a username and  password. Customers using POP3 will also need their mail server address. Inflight e-mail is enabled by software provided by Seattle-based Tenzing Communications.