Ratings that reflect progress across the country to pass 16 important traffic safety laws and countermeasures to combat dangerous driving have been announced.
12.12.2023 - 15:43 / thepointsguy.com
These days, Viasat is likely a household name for many frequent flyers.
But when JetBlue announced in 2013 that it was teaming up with this satellite internet company to offer fleetwide Wi-Fi, many travelers didn't really know what to expect.
In fact, it likely wasn't until 2017, when JetBlue became the first U.S. airline to announce free Wi-Fi on every jet, that most flyers started to pay attention to JetBlue's industry-leading offerings.
Fast forward exactly a decade (to the day) since 2013, and every single JetBlue plane offers fast and free Wi-Fi powered by Viasat.
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Despite some major improvements by some of JetBlue's competitors, the New York-based airline is still the only one to offer free streaming Wi-Fi from gate to gate on every single plane.
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the airline's deal with Viasat, JetBlue's onboard product chief, Mariya Stoyanova, and Viasat's director of airline programs, Laney Hind, spoke with TPG about the milestone and what it means for flyers.
Read on for all the details.
When JetBlue debuted its onboard internet — or Fly-Fi, as JetBlue calls it —network, the carrier actually had two types of plans available.
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There was a free option for basic internet access and an upgraded Fly-Fi+ package that was available on a paid basis for around $9 per hour.
When JetBlue decided to make internet access free for everyone on every flight, it "decided to just continue with our basic package, which was not so basic. It was much better and still is than the majority of the carriers out there," Stoyanova said.
Though JetBlue promised internet on its entire fleet, the rollout process kept lagging on. In fact, Stoyanova is "intimately familiar" with all the hiccups during the rollout "because Robin [Hayes, JetBlue's CEO] wanted to have an update on a weekly basis. So I was in charge of the email of how many tails we have installed on a weekly basis," she added.
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It wasn't until 2017 — roughly four years after the initial announcement — that JetBlue officially completed the fleet-wide rollout and made Wi-Fi free for everyone (by retiring the Fly-Fi+ plan).
But Jan. 11, 2017, was nevertheless a major milestone because that's when JetBlue became the first U.S. airline to offer free unlimited Wi-Fi to everyone.
In the years since, many U.S. airlines, including JetBlue, have tried to replicate the living room experience in the air.
For JetBlue (and Delta Air Lines and United Airlines), that starts with a seatback television screen that's loaded
Ratings that reflect progress across the country to pass 16 important traffic safety laws and countermeasures to combat dangerous driving have been announced.
Looking for some family-friendly fun for New Years? Then step into a world where New Year's celebrations are not just an occasion but a spectacular adventure for the whole family. From the dazzling fireworks and 3D LEGO magic at LEGOLAND California, to the enchanting vintage circus-themed party hosted by JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa, these properties offer festivities filled with unforgettable moments for kids of all ages.
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Wellness used to be as one-dimensional as a spin class and a smoothie. Diet and exercise are of course still fundamental, but we’ve finally started to embrace a more holistic approach to achieving better health. This means focusing on long neglected areas like a solid sex life, socializing, rest and recovery, and emotional and mental wellbeing. Feeling good now trumps looking good and healthspan—the quality of our years—has become just as important as lifespan. Longevity, the concept of living a longer and healthier life, will be the biggest buzzword of 2024, with wellness clinics as well as sybaritic beach retreats offering the latest biohacks (cryotherapy, infrared light treatments, poolside vitamin IV drips) to optimize our performance. Tantra gurus and sex therapists will be the new must-have in-house expert and artificial-intelligence empowered smart beds are fast becoming an expected amenity.
Of the many conveniences that hotels offer, few are as welcome as the in-house breakfast. Whether you’re raring to go or still slumped over after that early morning wake-up, there’s no better reward for having made it out of bed at all than the sumptuous spread that awaits. Here, we’ve rounded up the most sublime hotel breakfasts our editors have enjoyed this year, comprising national dishes, pastry repasts, snow-day bread baskets, and so much more.
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Finding the best walking shoes for travel can be tough. You want something comfortable enough to get you through a full day of wandering around, but not so comfortable that it screams “I'm a tourist!” And since nobody wants to tote around a bag (checked or otherwise) filled with shoes, the ones that do make the packing list cut need to be versatile enough to wear with multiple outfits.
Just 75 miles north of bustling San Francisco, and surrounded by Napa Valley and Sonoma County’s world-class vineyards, Calistoga is home to geothermal hot springs, wellness resorts, and mud baths featuring volcanic ash and natural peat. There’s hiking that ends at a mineral pool at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, and, of course, incredible dining and drinking experiences with a local focus. An escape for a weekend getaway or longer to one of the many wellness resorts here is the perfect way to return home completely refreshed. It’s no wonder Calistoga is Matador’s Wellness Award winner.