AirTran to offer Wi-Fi on all flights

AirTran Airways announced plans Tuesday to equip all of its planes with Wi-Fi access this summer. The airline hopes to become the first in the nation to offer the service on all its flights.

The airline will have full inflight Internet service across its entire fleet of Boeing 737 and 717 aircraft, which will be available to passengers for a fee based on the length of the flight. The cost for access is $9.95 for flights under three hours, $12.95 for flights longer than that and $7.95 for Blackberry/iPhone access.

The company deliberately kept the launch quiet until it was confident in its ability to meet the proposed mid-summer deadline, AirTran Senior Vice President Kevin P. Healy said.

Orlando Fla. based-carrier, which offers low-cost flights within the United States, currently serves 58 destinations nationwide.