Aviation Today :: Gogo Inflight Internet is a Slam Dunk During NCAA March Madness

Passenger Visits to NCAA-Focused Sports Sites up 953%

ITASCA, Ill., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring is in the air and the NCAA Final Four® games of the widely-viewed tournament are only two days away. Avid fans are continuing to stay glued to their computers, TVs and handheld devices to follow the tournament until the exciting conclusion. According to recent data from Aircell, this trend does not stop at the airport terminal for traveling fans.

Gogo® Inflight Internet service, powered by Aircell, gives customers wireless broadband Internet access at their fingertips, allowing passengers flying on Gogo-equipped flights to track games in real-time, stay updated on their favorite teams and keep tabs on their bracket selections -- even from 35,000 feet above the action on the court.

During the first and second rounds of the March Madness® tournament, customers took this unique opportunity to stay connected to the “madness” while in flight, and Aircell found the following trends, which the company expects will continue through the coming weekend:

Compared to February, Gogo customer visits to NCAA-focused websites jumped 953% during the first and second rounds of play
Visits to general sports-focused websites were up 123% from February
Gogo customers visited cbssports.com, espn.com and foxsports.com more than any other sports-related websites to keep tabs on the tournament

“These findings are a clear indication that a large number of Gogo customers are big college basketball fans who want to stay connected and keep up with March Madness in flight,” said Tom Weigman, Executive Vice President, Wireless Services, Aircell. “Gogo is for anyone who wants to make plane time their time and pick up their lives right where they left off on the ground -- including their passion for sports.”

Gogo turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot with true Inflight Internet access, letting passengers surf the Web, download entertainment, check e-mail, instant message, stay connected to their social networks and more. Laptop users can connect to Gogo for $12.95 on flights longer than 3 hours and $9.95 on flights of 3 hours or less. Passengers can also connect using their Wi-Fi-enabled handheld devices for $7.95 on Gogo-equipped flights of any length. Right now, travelers can find Gogo on select American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin America flights. Aircell continues to add additional routes and airline partners like United Airlines and Air Canada -- coming soon. For more information, fans and passengers alike can visit www.gogoinflight.com, where they can register for service before they fly.

About Aircell

Aircell is the world’s leading provider of airborne communications. As winner of an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006, Aircell has built a revolutionary mobile broadband network for commercial and business aviation. In 2008, the Aircell® Network and its inflight portal, Gogo®, revolutionized the commercial airline passenger flight experience by delivering a robust Internet experience at 35,000 feet. In addition, the Aircell Network provides airlines with connectivity to operations and a path to enhanced cabin services such as video, audio, television and more. A similar feature set is available to Business aircraft operators. Aircell has facilities in Broomfield, Colorado, and Itasca, Illinois. Aircell’s vision is to give everyone the ability to stay in touch, in flight®. For more information about Aircell, please visit www.aircell.com.

About Gogo

Gogo®, powered by Aircell, turns a commercial airplane into a Wi-Fi hotspot with true inflight Internet access. Passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs, can surf the Web, check e-mail, instant message, access a corporate VPN and more. For more information about Gogo, please visit www.gogoinflight.com.

    Media Contact
    Brenda Chroniak
    RF|Binder for Aircell
    Ph: 781-455-8250
    aircell@rfbinder.com