WiFi at 35,000 feet

I had the opportunity to use WiFi on board an Airbus 319 operated by Virgin America. The cost was $7.95 for SFO to IAD (Washington, DC), based on my using an iPhone. It apparently costs about $13 if you want to connect via laptop.

Was it worth it? In a word, yes. Being able to stay on top of email and news saved me a lot of time on the ground. One problem: Don't expect Skype or other VOIP services to work well. Virgin doesn't seem to be blocking these, but the lags and dropouts made Skype unusable.... You could always watch a movie, on the screen in front of you, or on your notebook, netbook, or phone. A business expense? You decide.