Delta Air Lines has removed the paywall for basic in-flight messaging. Passengers on WiFi-equipped flights can now use a free texting service to stay connected without purchasing a full internet pass.
The complimentary service supports popular messaging apps such as iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. It is limited to text communications only, so sending or receiving photos, videos or traditional SMS messages is not supported while airborne.
Delta cautions that the texting feature can be slower during periods of heavy WiFi usage, but the airline says overall connectivity is improving as its systems are upgraded.
In the past, Delta faced reliability issues with its former onboard WiFi provider, Gogo, prompting the airline to limit how many passengers could be online at once. Delta CEO Ed Bastian publicly acknowledged those shortcomings.
More recently, Delta has been deploying a new 2Ku system to increase bandwidth and deliver more consistent performance across flights. Executives have noted progress with the upgraded service, which aims to provide full bandwidth capacity on equipped aircraft.
Offering free texting is a practical interim benefit for travelers and a step toward better in-flight WiFi and phone functionality in the future.