Today AirTran makes an important statement. Not only does it announce fleet wide Internet access by the end of the summer - that is all 136 planes - but is endorses the fact that the LCCs are no longer following the network carriers in terms of connectivity.

By adding two planes per night to their WiFi enabled fleet, AirTran will be the first major carrier to accomplish system wide connectivity. When the announcement comes out over a dozen of their planes will "switched on" - the airline takes 8 hours to WiFi enable a plane. This is big news and in making this announcement it is clear that this service will defacto become the new normal. Airlines without it will look rather backward. AirTran has thrown down a gauntlet.