The move toward having internet wifi available to passengers on airplanes has become a mainstream goal of airlines. Along with Delta and Southwest Airlines, among others, American Airlines has decided to throw their hat into the ring in the broadband brawl.

And for safety, of course, VOIP services will be blocked.

I'm starting to think the restrictions on cell phones and internet-based phone services are more about them not being able to charge you to use them than for any perceived safety measures. But, I digress.

American Airlines launches in-flight Wi-Fi

The FCC had expected to vote June 12 on a proposal to auction a 25MHz piece of spectrum in the 2155Mhz band and require the winner to use a specified amount of spectrum for free wireless Internet access.

Lawmakers Urge F.C.C. to Move Forward With ‘Free’ Plan - NYTimes.com

Mobile Internet aggregator iPass it teaming up with in-flight broadband provider Aircell to give its customers access to broadband on planes.

On Tuesday, iPass announced that it would offer Wi-Fi roaming with Aircell Gogo, an in-flight broadband service expected to launch soon in the United States. Aircell's service is expected later this year on American Airlines and Virgin America.

iPass to add in-flight Wi-Fi roaming | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

This article lists briefly several options for getting online with a desktop PC.
Simple Wireless Upgrades - Expert Help by PC Magazine

How Secure Is Your Wi-Fi Connection?

David Pogue from the New York Times, talks about the realistic risks of using an unsecured wireless network.  I get asked about this quite often.