Alaska Airlines rolls out new on-board e-chat service — and it's free - Los Angeles Times
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Alaska Airlines rolls out new on-board e-chat service — and it’s free

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Want to keep in touch mid-flight but don’t want to purchase a Wi-Fi package? Alaska Airlines rolled out a perk Monday that just might do the trick.

Free Chat, as it’s called, allows fliers to use iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger on its Wi-Fi equipped planes while in the air, a news release says. And, as the name suggests, it’s free.

A few drawbacks: Free Chat isn’t available on flights over Mexico, the Pacific Ocean (to and from Hawaii) or Latin America. And you can send only texts, no photos or videos.

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Alaska also is luring customers with free movies and TV shows through the end of March.

This week the airline is launching new premium upgrades — which cost $15 to $79, depending on the flight — that promise more legroom (4 inches, to be exact), early boarding, and free snacks and drinks.

So far the extras are available only on Alaska flights, not company-owned Virgin America (which it bought last year) and Horizon Air fleets.

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Many airlines offer on-board Wi-Fi packages that fliers pay for. JetBlue is one exception, allowing passengers to access the Internet without having to pay.

Info: Alaska Airlines

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