Originally Posted by
seenitall
No way. Back then you would be lucky to get a 10-20 MB drive, and it would cost more than $200. I got a 30 MB (really a 20 MB RLL) drive in 1989, and I am sure it added more than $200 to the $3000 cost of the complete (minus display) 386 system.
I know it was $200 for 80MB. It might have been 1989-ish. Still, outside of nit-picking the year, my point is the rapid advances in technology should allow free (maybe data-limited) WiFi to everyone on a plane in near future. Any airline who doesn't keep a high priority on providing some sort of access to everyone gratis is an airline a lot of people will avoid if an alternative (flight/network convenience) is available.
I had free WiFi SYD-AUK Air New Zealand with no problem and a plane (777) full of people. Worked better than ANZ's boarding process and departure timeliness. Full plane AUK-HNL, but can't comment on that because it was a redeye and I was asleep.