Lufthansa is relaunching FlyNet, its inflight broadband Internet service, from mid-2010.

FlyNet is a reworked version of its earlier inflight Internet service which it first launched in the Dark Ages of 2003. Then, the airline was the first commercial carrier to offer inflight web access. The service lasted until 2006 when it was withdrawn by its partner, Connexion by Boeing.

The new service will offer data transfer over standard GSM/GPRS mobile networks. Passengers will have WLAN Internet access as well as being able to send SMS messages and transfer data from their smartphones.

The airline says it is deliberately focusing on high bandwidth as the main requirement for its fliers to access these services.

This is great news for those who cannot stand being offline when they travel. Back in 2003, it must have been quite a rush to be beavering away on the Web at 35 000 feet. The prospect of a whole planeload of pax doing the same in 2010, on the other hand, is somehow not quite as appealing.

Like they say, work expands to fit the time available.

PHOTO: Lufthansa

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