Wheels Up, a membership-based private aviation company, and Gogo, a broadband connectivity solutions and wireless in-flight entertainment provider to the aviation industry, announced the launch of Gogo’s Text & Talk service on select Wheels Up aircraft, with fleet-wide installation by the end of 2015.
Wheels Up members will have complimentary access to in-flight texting and calling capabilities in addition to existing Wi-Fi and entertainment options. The service works via a smartphone app and Wi-Fi connection, and is easy to use because it mimics the operation and native features of the passenger’s device, including Caller ID, contact lists and call histories. It uses the passenger’s own mobile number, allowing for truly seamless operation.
“We are proud to be the first private aviation company to offer Gogo’s Text & Talk service fleet-wide,” said Kenny Dichter, Wheels Up founder and CEO. “The cutting-edge technology makes sense for Wheels Up members who want to stay connected when they are flying,”
Dichter added that call quality is as clear as on-ground cellular communications, and represents a vast improvement over the preceding satellite phone technology. With no interruptions in members’ ability to text and talk in flight, this new feature surpasses Wi-Fi alone.
“We are very pleased to join forces with Wheels Up and their impressive membership to offer our newest technology and support the Company’s mission to create a world-class standard of service,” said John Wade, Gogo Business Aviation’s executive vice president and general manager.