You can not afford being late for a flight

By Payless Flights | Published: November 8, 2011

I always advice passengers to be at least 2.3h before the flight at the ticket counter. If you are late airline can even refuse you boarding. Lufthansa’s email note today came to show how right I was:
Notice Overbooking of Flights – Airline flights may be overbooked, and there is a slight chance that a seat will not be available on a flight for which a person has a confirmed reservation. If the flight is overbooked, no one will be denied a seat until airline personnel first ask for volunteers willing to give up their reservation in exchange for compensation of the airline’s choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, the airline will deny boarding to other persons in accordance with its particular boarding priority. With few exceptions, including failure to comply with the carrier’s check-in deadline, which are available upon request from the air carrier, persons denied boarding involuntarily are entitled to compensation. The complete rules for the payment of compensation and each airline’s boarding priorities are available at all airport ticket counters and boarding locations.

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All Americans Can Travel Legally to Cuba–With Exceptions

By Payless Flights | Published: June 30, 2011

On Tuesday, Insight Cuba, a division of Cross Cultural Solutions, which specializes in short-term volunteer abroad programs, was reauthorized by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to send Americans to Cuba.

When the Obama administration reversed the previous administration’s policy and posted new travel regulations allowing People-to-People educational travel, Insight Cuba was among the first to submit its application for a new license.

The People-to-People initiative requires Americans to take part in various cultural experiences in Cuba, essentially, as the name implies, putting them in direct contact with the people of Cuba with hopes of learning about the way of life in the country. It was implemented by President Clinton in 1999 and suspended by President Bush in 2004 before President Obama resurrected the program this January.

You do not have to be a certain age, do not have to have family in Cuba and do not have to be students. You merely have to register for one of Insight Cuba’s People-to-People programs, which includes visiting the studio of a local artist, going to an elementary school and meeting with the students and teachers, visiting jazz institutes, meeting farmers who grow tobacco and more.

“These trips are a bit more stimulating than your regular, relaxing vacation where you are just going to pull out a lounge chair and sit on the beach all day,” Tom Popper, director of Insight Cuba. “There is usually a full program that we require all of our applicants to take part in, but we also offer some free time in the afternoon and at night.”

Before the program was suspended in 2004, Popper says Insight Cuba was sending roughly 250,000-500,000 American to Cuba annually. Popper says he expects that number to grow this time around to roughly 500,000-700,000 annually. In fact, Popper says Insight Cuba is already in heavy discussions to partner with a major U.S. tour operator, but could not give us further details.

Insight Cuba will be offering three, inaugural trips to Cuba from August 11-18 and a fourth from August 11-19. The program will begin regular operations in September, Popper says.

“My personal philosophy is people who travel internationally, people with the travel bug, always remember the people they met on their trips,” Popper says. “If you ask someone coming back from a trip what their fondest memory was, I bet it had something to do with the people of the country they visited. We try to provide that for you. When we provide you with the opportunity to visit people and places in Cuba, you get injected into a culture. And those are usually the memories you walk away with.”

For more information on travel to Cuba call us 1800-890-3731

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Hurricane-Free Paradise on the ‘ABC’ Islands

By Payless Flights | Published: June 18, 2011

For a variety of reasons, Americans typically don’t head to the Caribbean in summer. Many prefer to visit stateside beaches, or explore the capitals of Europe, rather than spend their vacation on tropical islands. And then there’s the ever-present risk of hurricanes, a major factor keeping tourists away.

The secret, however, is that there are several islands outside the traditional hurricane belt that enjoy pleasant summer weather and also experience the price drop associated with summer in the Caribbean. Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, known as the “ABC Islands” may be ideal destinations for a summer Caribbean getaway.

Best yet, these islands offer a diverse array of options for any traveler, with affordable prices to reflect the low season. And despite it being summer, trade winds blow in from the east, keeping the islands’ temperatures comfortable. Whether you want just to relax on the beach, snorkel or dive in world-famous waters, golf, shop, or sample a host of cuisines, these islands offer a multitude of attractions to suit any type of traveler.
Aruba

Aruba is a well-developed paradise. Resorts line many of the island’s white sand beaches; boats and jet skis ply the aquamarine waters; and casinos, performance venues, and bars give the island more nightlife than its neighbors. The island is a popular place for wreck diving and snorkeling, and it hosts an international amateur windsurfing tournament each year.

However, Aruba also offers appeal uncommon for a beachy island destination. Its burgeoning culinary scene blends international influences with local flavors, providing a welcome break from the bland-and-forgettable approach to food taken by many tourist-friendly tropical destinations. And, in Arikok National Park, you can find miles of hiking trails that feel more than an island away from the beaches and buffets of the coast. Off-road tours give visitors the chance to see the rugged northern coast, and day trips to San Nicolas in the south offer a glimpse at the island’s laid-back, Caribbean side.

Summer continues to be considered low season on the island, though as more people discover the pleasant temperatures and lower prices of the season, it may not remain so for long. The airport is served by 17 commercial airlines, including popular low-cost carrier JetBlue.

* I checked prices for seven-night airfare-and-hotel packages in August, based on two people traveling together from New York. Packages started at $711 per person, including all taxes and fees.
Bonaire

When you go to Bonaire, you visit a place where the people have put the island first. Nearly three decades ago, Bonaire declared the waters surrounding the island a marine park. It was a move that preserved the small island’s coast and coral reefs, and today has made it one of the world’s top destinations for scuba and snorkeling.

It’s no surprise then, that diving and snorkeling are the big draws. Dive resorts, complete with dive centers, on-site experts, classes, and equipment lockers dot the island. Be sure to check out the dive and snorkel spots off the white-sand beaches of Klein Bonaire, the tiny island tucked into the crescent of Bonaire.

Bonaire is also known as an ideal locale for bird watching. Its almost 200 species of birds include flamingos, parrots, and herons. It’s also a choice destination for those who want to do…nothing. The slow pace and lack of crowds give visitors room to relax. If the kicking back gets old, bicycling, sightseeing, and kayaking can fill the warm and breezy days.

Bonaire has less direct air service than the other islands, though there are plenty of options for flights via nearby centers. Continental offers direct service from Houston. Air Jamaica flies between the island and Jamaica. And Dutch Antilles Express flies between Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire, while Divi Divi Airlines flies from Curacao. Since Aruba and Curacao are served by more airlines, these short-hop flights open up the options for getting to and from Bonaire.

* I checked prices for airfare in August, based on two people traveling together from New York. Round-trip flights started at $548 per person, including all taxes and fees.
Curacao

Amid tropical palm trees and historic buildings painted vibrant pinks, yellows, blues, and golds, you may hear Curacao’s locals speaking any one of four languages: Dutch, Papiamentu, English, and Spanish. The island boasts many types of cuisine, from beachside seafood bars to elegant steakhouses, and a lively nightlife scene. And cultural options include a slave history museum, the oldest Hebrew synagogue still in use in the Western Hemisphere, and historic architecture. You could spend your whole vacation at the beach, but you’d be missing out on what this unique island has to offer.

No trip to Curacao is complete without a tour of Willemstad, the island’s capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, visitors can see Dutch architecture, shop, dine at fine restaurants, take a Caribbean cooking class, and spend an evening at a local lounge or nightclub for salsa dancing, live music, and tropical drinks. Cultural travelers and those interested in history may want to spend an afternoon at the Kura Hulanda Museum, which chronicles the slave trade.

Around the island, visitors can tour the Den Paradera herb garden, full of natural remedies and soothing plants; the Curacao Ostrich and Game Farm, where you can feed the ostriches; and the Curacao Sea Aquarium, to view sea turtles, sharks, and other marine wildlife up close.

For beaches, locals consider Big Knip, Kas Abou, and Porto Marie among the loveliest. Other outdoorsy travelers can find adventure activities both on land and sea, with plenty of dive and snorkeling options, horseback riding, and hiking.

* I checked prices for seven-night airfare-and-hotel packages in August, based on two people traveling together from New York. Packages started at $701 per person, including all taxes and fees.
Depending on your travel preferences, you can have a Caribbean vacation that’s relaxed, rugged, cultural, or culinary—or perhaps a combination of everything.

Regardless of what island you visit, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao can offer a Caribbean vacation free of hurricane woes. And with casinos, diving, hiking, and culture, not to mention the beaches and low-season prices, you may find yourself planning a return visit next summer.

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First-class airline seats: disappearing species

By Payless Flights | Published: June 16, 2011

United Airlines as it completes its merger with Continental is bucking at least one trend: it is adding first-class seats.

These have been steadily disappearing from international flights in recent years, a trend accelerating as business travelers were forced to cut costs to cope with the recession.

Some airlines such as Delta replaced first-class with categories such as “business elite” seats, reports the Ventura County Star.

Last year, Qantas Airways replaced first-class seats with business-class seats on all its Boeing 747-400 planes, saying it was responding to “changing demands.”

“The economy has dictated the move away from premium seats, especially during the recession,” said Rick Seaney, founder of farecompare.com, told the newspaper.

On international flights, Continental offers only economy seating and a “BusinessFirst” section that includes special meals and “flat bed” seats that fully recline.

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10 of the cheapest holiday destinations in the world

By Payless Flights | Published: June 13, 2011

The following destinations may cost just a little more than a dollar a day – but you’ll definitely be able to make your money go far in these great value spots.

1. Cambodia

With beds for $2 and lip-smacking food for less, Cambodia is so cheap you often feel guilty for paying so little. Smiling faces greet you at every turn of this diverse and dramatic country. The jewel in the crown, and one of the most amazing historical sites in the world, Angkor Wat, is found here too. Spiritual, sublime and yours $5 a day…or less! Get flights to Phnom Penh

2. Vietnam

Unspoilt and undeveloped, Vietnam is super cheap and simply beautiful. You can easily get by on $8 a day, which includes a guest house, local food, transport and a bit of drinking. Just imagine the lifestyle you could have if you stretched to $16! Get flights to Hanoi

3. India

Get ready for a sensory explosion in colourful, crazy India. From chaotic Delhi and gaudy Mumbai, to tranquil Kerala and spiritual Mysore; pink cities, grand palaces, elephants and rickshaws are just a handful of mind boggling sights you’ll see in India. Even if you go for all out luxury, you’ll be hard pressed to spend a lot of money here. For $30 a day, you can live like royalty. Get flights to Delhi

4. Bolivia

In the heart of La Paz’s historic quarter, Calle Jaén, you’ll find one of the best preserved colonial streets in the whole of Bolivia. It definitely has style but it also has four municipal museums. See them all for the grand total of 55 cents. As if that weren’t enough, Bolivia is perhaps the best value for food and drink in all of South America, thanks to a bottle of Paceña beer costing less than $1 and a bowl of chairo (potato soup) about the same. Get flights to La Paz

5. Hungary

Historical Hungary nestles along the formidable Danube River, and is a definite must see. The elegant grandeur of the capital, Budapest, is a stunning example of old Europe with more than a hint of Ottoman Empire. Sink into sublime cakes, strong liquor and some of the most amazing thermal spas in the world. With meals for $5, train tickets for $4 and rooms for $20, this is a beautiful bargain the in heart of ancient Europe. Get flights to Budapest

6. Central America

Pristine Nicaragua and Honduras may look like celebrity destinations but they are actually incredibly cheap. Few tourists, sparkling waters and pristine beaches can all be yours. Soak up the stunning white beaches and out of this world diving in Honduras while spending less than $30 a day. Forget your money worries and have another cocktail! Get flights to Tegucigalpa

7. Bulgaria

Eastern Europe is a bargain compared to its western neighbours. The further east you go, the cheaper it gets. Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria offers hearty food, warm company, robust drink and a comfy bed, which can all be yours for just$30 a day. Forget Paris crowds and mobbed London streets; sample a slice of Europe without breaking the bank. Get flights to Sofia

8. Sri Lanka

With gossamer fine sands, cloud-wrapped mountains, waterfalls, tea plantations and palm trees wafting in the breeze, Sri Lanka is the picture perfect paradise. Feast on delicately spiced cuisine while exploring a land of ancient kingdoms and deep spirituality. What will relax you even more is knowing you can live like a king on under $50 a day. Get flights to Colombo

9. Argentina

Amazing Argentina is land of fiery tango, feisty football, food and awesome landscapes. Tuck in to mammoth meaty steaks washed down with big bold reds, or live the high life in spirited Buenos Aires, one of the most flamboyant and colourful cities on earth. The life can be yours for less than$40 a day. Find flights to Buenos Aires

10. Greece

Due to a recent economic crisis, Greece is cheaper than it used to be. Grab a bed for a tenner and a meal for $10 among the olive groves under bright blue skies. Tour beautiful Greek islands like Paxos and bask on the beaches while eating mouth-watering food at a fraction of the price of other European countries. Greece is, quite possibly, the most underrated budget destination in Europe. Get flights to Athens

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The Truth About International Airline Tickets

By Payless Flights | Published: May 23, 2011

It has been awhile that I am trying to get a word out about the international airfare. What is negotiated fares? Why our fares are not found on major websites like Expedia? I run on this article that I find interesting by Edward Habrouck :

“Unlike domestic fares in the USA, international airfares remain regulated, and the official fares published by the airlines give little indication of the actual prices at which agents sell tickets on those airlines. It’s as much a waste of time to consult Travelocity, Expedia or any other Web site for airfares (especially for more complex, long-haul, or multi-stop itineraries) as it is to call a travel agent (rather than checking airline fares yourself on the Web) for travel within North America.

The differences between domestic and international airfares are largely due to the differences in how they are, or are not, regulated. Unlike deregulated domestic USA airfares, international airfares are regulated both by international treaties and by an international airline price-fixing cartel, the International Air Transportation Association (IATA).

It’s worth noting that every USA-based airline operating scheduled international passenger flights has voluntarily joined IATA. USA airlines’ invocations of “open markets”, “free trade”, and “open skies” can be dismissed as completely hypocritical and self-serving drivel until such time as they exercise their right to withdraw from IATA, as any of them could at any time. USA airlines are allowed to participate in IATA “traffic conferences” only because of a special exemption granted them from USA anti-trust laws which normally forbid such industry-wide collusion on prices.

Why do airlines join IATA? What is the reason for any cartel? It exists to keep prices, and airlines’ profits, artificially high.

International airfares are set by international agreement and regulated by the airline cartel, IATA. Most international airlines are closely related to, if not directly owned by, their national governments. Most governments in turn have an interest in protecting the profits of their national airline, and the IATA fares are therefore set artificially high.

As a condition of membership in IATA, airlines agree (voluntarily, remember) to sell tickets only at IATA-approved prices. IATA rules officially prohibit discounting, and in some countries these rules are actually enforced — one reason some countries have no local ticket discounters (although tickets originating in those countries can often be bought in other countries, if you know where to look).

Airlines like the cartel because it raises the prices paid by price-insensitive business travelers. But it’s not the whole story. If airlines sold tickets only at IATA fares, they would have too many empty seats that might be salable at less-than-official prices.

The revenue-maximization problem for the airlines is how to get some money for seats that can’t be filled at official fares, without destroying the benefits of the cartel by allowing people who would be willing to pay full fare to get away with paying any less.

The system the airlines have developed for preserving the cartel while actually selling discounted tickets at less than official fares relies on the intermediary of the travel agency, and the loophole that neither IATA nor international airfare treaties restricts how much commission an airline can pay an agent for selling a ticket. So the airline can pay a large commission to a travel agent, then turn its back and avert its eyes while the travel agent rebates some portion of the commission to the traveler.

All sales of international tickets on scheduled airlines at less than official fares are made through travel agencies, not directly by the airlines, and ultimately depend on rebating of commissions by travel agents to customers. This is how travel agencies can and do, quite legally, offer lower prices for international tickets than the airlines themselves.

Airlines know what is happening, of course, but they have to pretend they don’t. In order to maintain plausible deniability and keep their hands clean with IATA, airlines must maintain the fiction that all tickets are sold at official fares. Since airlines cannot admit that they are even aware of discounting, airlines cannot admit to any knowledge of agents’ actual discounted selling prices. Strange but true: by the nature of the system of discounting, airlines do not usually know themselves, and couldn’t admit to knowing if they did, by which agents or at what prices their tickets are most cheaply sold.

All official fares are “published” either in hardcopy in the Official Airline Guides (OAG) or the Air Tariff, or electronically in the computerized reservation systems (CRS’s) such as Sabre, Apollo, Amadeus, Worldspan, and Gabriel. By the very nature of the IATA price-fixing system, airlines cannot admit any knowledge of the fact that agents are selling tickets for less than the official fares. So only published fares are shown in any CRS. Since all the major CRS’s are owned by the airlines, no CRS contains any publicly accessible information on agents’ actual discounted selling prices.

The glut of official international fare information available through gateways to CRS’s such as GetThere.com, Travelocity,  Expedia, etc. is deceptively comprehensive-seeming and impressive but fundamentally useless in finding discounted prices. If you want to pay less than the official international fare, you have to buy your ticket from an agent who gives discounts, not from an airline directly or from a source (such as a CRS Web site) that is limited to published fares. “

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SFO to welcome first scheduled A380 flight

By Payless Flights | Published: May 9, 2011

Lufthansa will begin operating its daily flight from Frankfurt tomorrow with the world’s largest commercial airplane. The A380, which will replace the Boeing 747-400 on the route, will transport up to 526 passengers in three service classes on two levels. The flight time will be about the same (a little more than 11 hours), but the sight of the huge plane landing over the San Francisco Bay will be a win for the entire region.

SFO will be Lufthansa’s second A380 U.S. destination (after New York’s JFK) and only the third airport in the country to get daily A380 service. Qantas flies the plane every day to Los Angeles International Airport from Sydney, and Lufthansa, Air France, and Emirates regularly serve JFK, but San Francisco beat out heavy hitters like Chicago, Houston, and Miami (the latter will start A380 flights on June 10) for the bronze medal.

Though Lufthansa and SFO will point to San Francisco’s popularity with business and leisure travelers, the airport was the first in the nation to be able to accommodate the airplane (LAX, for example, had to reposition taxiways and a runway to make room for the immense 261-foot wingspan). What’s more, SFO’s decade-old International Terminal was specifically designed to accommodate the double-decker aircraft with jetways that could board each deck simultaneously. SFO first hosted the A380 on a “working visit” back in 2007, but this will be your first chance to actually buy a ticket.

The flight arrives at 12:05 p.m. PT. It then spends a few hours on the ground before heading back to Germany.

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GPS devices allowed on flights?

By Payless Flights | Published: May 8, 2011

I have always wondered, can I turn on my GPS while flying on a commercial airplane? I just want to know how fast the plane is going and what city I am flying above. Of course, I will turn it off when taking off or landing.
Of the 10 airlines who responded to my query, only two (Delta and Southwest Airlines) gave an outright yes about GPS devices being allowed during flights. Three (Continental, JetBlue and United) said it’s at the discretion of the pilot. The other five said no, but then added that the pilot may permit use. Those five include Alaska and American.

So, here’s our short answer: Bring your global positioning satellite system and ask the flight attendant to check with the pilot.

Also be sure to ask when you can power up the device. Some airlines have stricter rules for GPS than the traditional only after-take-off and before-landing policies for other electronics. For example, Delta greenlights use of GPS during flights only when at cruising altitude. Southwest restricts use to hand-held devices and also only at cruising altitude.

Furthermore, most airlines prohibit activating Bluetooth devices at any time during a flight, so if your GPS has this feature, check to see if you can temporarily disable it.

Of the 10 airlines who responded to my query, only two (Delta and Southwest Airlines) gave an outright yes about GPS devices being allowed during flights. Three (Continental, JetBlue and United) said it’s at the discretion of the pilot. The other five said no, but then added that the pilot may permit use. Those five include Alaska and American.

So, here’s our short answer: Bring your global positioning satellite system and ask the flight attendant to check with the pilot.

Also be sure to ask when you can power up the device. Some airlines have stricter rules for GPS than the traditional only after-take-off and before-landing policies for other electronics. For example, Delta greenlights use of GPS during flights only when at cruising altitude. Southwest restricts use to hand-held devices and also only at cruising altitude.

Furthermore, most airlines prohibit activating Bluetooth devices at any time during a flight, so if your GPS has this feature, check to see if you can temporarily disable it.

Of the 10 airlines who responded to my query, only two (Delta and Southwest Airlines) gave an outright yes about GPS devices being allowed during flights. Three (Continental, JetBlue and United) said it’s at the discretion of the pilot. The other five said no, but then added that the pilot may permit use. Those five include Alaska and American.

So, here’s our short answer: Bring your global positioning satellite system and ask the flight attendant to check with the pilot.

Also be sure to ask when you can power up the device. Some airlines have stricter rules for GPS than the traditional only after-take-off and before-landing policies for other electronics. For example, Delta greenlights use of GPS during flights only when at cruising altitude. Southwest restricts use to hand-held devices and also only at cruising altitude.

Furthermore, most airlines prohibit activating Bluetooth devices at any time during a flight, so if your GPS has this feature, check to see if you can temporarily disable it.
Most international flights feature seat-back monitors with a channel that tracks real-time flight speed and route. Unless you want to verify the information, you won’t need a GPS on these flights.

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Record-Breaking Theme Park Thrills

By Payless Flights | Published: May 4, 2011

Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, holds the record for the largest collection of roller coasters in the country, with 17. The park loses its record on Memorial Day, when Six Flags Magic Mountain reopens its 17th coaster (Road Runner Express) and debuts its 18th roller coaster, Green Lantern: First Light.

Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, holds the record for the largest collection of roller coasters in the country, with 17. The park loses its record on Memorial Day, when Six Flags Magic Mountain reopens its 17th coaster (Road Runner Express) and debuts its 18th roller coaster, Green Lantern: First Light. From the fastest double-twisting impulse coaster (the Wicked Twister, with a top speed of 72 mph) to the first coaster in the country to feature three inversions (the Corkscrew, pictured), there’s always an off-kilter view of the park and Lake Erie available from the high perches of the coasters.

At 115 feet, Perilous Plunge at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, ranks as the country’s tallest water ride. But that’s not the scariest part of this flume ride. The drop measures an unbelievable 75-degree angle (only 15 more degrees, and this would be a straight vertical drop) Thanks to an eddy magnetic braking system, the splashdown isn’t as ferocious as one might expect, but there’s still no escaping a total drenching on the Perilous Plunge.
Kingda Ka—the pride of Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey—is the tallest roller coaster in the world; at 45 stories, or 456 feet at its highest point, the ride is taller than London’s famed Big Ben and only a few feet shorter than the Great Pyramid at Giza! Kingda Ka is also the fastest roller coaster in North America. Riders of Kingda Ka zoom from zero to 128 mph in just over three seconds on launch and then fly over camel humps, dip, turn, and finally come to a rest in what can only be described as a breathless 59 seconds.
The Scorpion’s Tail in Noah’s Ark Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells is the first looping waterslide in the U.S. Riders step into a capsule-like entrance, an attendant closes the door, and then the floor drops out, plunging the rider down the long, curving tube. The stomach-lurching ride on the Scorpion’s Tail runs 400 feet over the course of five to seven seconds (exact time depends on the weight of the passengers—the heavier you are, the faster you fall) and includes a nearly vertical, coaster-style loop.

The Beast, at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, is America’s longest duration roller coaster. The record-breaking running time—4 minutes, 10 seconds—is about a minute and a half longer than most of its counterparts, steel or wood.

At a third of a mile long, the Wildebeest at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, ranks as the world’s longest water coaster.

Leap-the-Dips, in Lakemont Park, Altoona, Pennsylvania, is the oldest operating roller coaster in the world. Built in 1902, the coaster has a top operating speed of just 10 mph and a peak of 41 feet.

The title of “tallest free-fall waterslide” in the U.S. goes to Summit Plummet at Walt Disney World’s Blizzard Beach in Orlando. The ride plunges the brave down a 120-foot slide. That’s 12 stories, or twice the size of the presidential heads on Mount Rushmore. The ski-lift-themed Summit Plummet, complete with mounds of fake snow, makes you wonder if it’s really a smart idea to slide down the slopes in just your bathing suit. But don’t worry: The waters here are heated year-round to a bath-like 80 degrees.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey—the world’s first robotic “coaster”—lives inside Hogwarts castle at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

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American Airlines to Offer In-Flight Video Streaming Service

By Payless Flights | Published: May 4, 2011

Earlier this year, Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines announced they were already testing the iPad for in-flight use by their pilots. In addition, Australian airline Jetstar gave the “green light” to the iPad as a in-flight entertainment device for A320 flights in Australia and Asia.

Enter American Airlines, which has announced its testing of “in-flight” streaming video for its WiFi service. This new service should allow you to purchase and stream movies and TV shows to your favorite WiFi-enabled devices during flight.

The new campaign is designed to make sure you stay productive during your flight, and also gives you the option to entertain yourself with a collection of movies and TV shows.

In case you’re not familiar with American Airlines’ WiFi service, the company partners with Aircell, which is a private company that develops broadband for both private and commercial aviation. Today, the WiFi service on several American Airlines flights uses Aircell’s air-to-ground technology to transmit data. However, given the amount of video content that many of us would like to stream, the new video streaming service will probably be supported by a server located on each plane to ensure a fast connection for all passengers.

“If all you’re interested in is watching a movie, this is a better choice,” said Doug Backelin, American Airlines’ manager of in-flight communications and technology.

The new service plans to introduce a selection of movies already released on the DVD market, and recently aired TV shows. Of course, Aircell needs to negotiate all this content with studios, but we expect the company to reach some deals rather quickly since you will be paying to consume this content.

According to USA Today, American thinks the streaming service will carry a price somewhat similar to what you already pay for “pay-per-view” movies at home. The prices could range anywhere from $3 to $5 for a movie, and $1 to $3 for a recently aired TV episode.

American Airlines is certainly trying to stay on the leading edge of technology. We expect other airlines to follow suit. After all, there are many iPad and iPhone users flying the friendly skies, as well as Android and notebook users out there.

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