American Airlines will begin a small-scale test of free WiFi next week.
The test will be conducted on three routes: Charlotte-Raleigh Durham, Charlotte-Jacksonville and Miami-Chicago O'Hare. It will apply to both directions on those routes and will last for an unspecified timeframe.
"Through this test, we'll be assessing customer take rates for inflight WiFi, evaluating our provider and aircraft capacity, and -- perhaps most important -- measuring the impact to customer satisfaction," chief customer officer Heather Garboden described in a staff memo. "While relatively small in scope, this is a big stride in our organization's very critical work to give our customers what we know they want."
Currently, American flyers on mainline aircraft can receive 20 minutes of free ad-sponsored WiFi per flight. The airline also provides free WiFi to T-Mobile customers with eligible plans.
Garboden also noted that American is always looking for ways to stay competitive with fellow carriers.
Still, American is behind a number of U.S. airlines when it comes to free WiFi. Among its major competitors, Delta is far along in a fleetwide rollout of free WiFi to SkyMiles members. United has plans to offer free WiFi to Mileage Plus members, with the first introductions expected this spring on regional aircraft.
Among smaller competitors, JetBlue has long offered free WiFi and Hawaiian Airlines offers free WiFi on all of its Airbus aircraft, which comprise the vast majority of the brand's non-interisland fleet.