Luxury Aircraft: Business travelers face a conundrum when flying commercial. Most
airlines don’t offer Internet access even in business class and those that do offer WiFi can’t guarantee high-speed or quality service. What is one to do if it’s essential to stay connected with those on the ground? Private air travel is a solution but many private airlines don’t have free WiFi either. Enter XOJET, the California-based business aviation leader. In July, the company announced Aircell high-speed Internet on their entire fleet of Bombardier Challenger 300 and Cessna Citation X aircraft.
“High-speed Internet will give our passengers exactly what they want—the ability to create an on-demand ‘flying boardroom’ to continue doing business in flight,” says XOJET president Benjamin Murray.
I was skeptical when I heard the company was introducing free, high-speed WiFi in the air. As a travel writer, I have been on my fair share of commercial airlines with WiFi access only to discover that their system is unreliable. I took a trip aboard a XOJET Citation X in July. With my iPad in tow, I traveled from New York City to Albany and back and tested the WiFi capabilities of the aircraft. I was surprised to discover that the connection was fast and reliable and the picture was clear. I was able to log-on in mere moments and my connection didn’t crash or become grainy throughout the duration of the two-hour journey there and back. It certainly beat my apartment’s Time Warner Road Runner service.
XOJET is the first business aviation operator to offer wireless Internet on all flights. For travelers flying from New York to Los Angeles and back, it’s a welcome addition to the already short duration of the flight. XOJET can get you from one coast to another in a mere four hours and 30 minutes, an hour less than commercial airlines. And if you’re as afraid of turbulence as I am, XOJET flies at an altitude of 51,000 feet, allowing for you to soar above bad weather patterns that affect commercial flights and other private aircraft. All of this makes for a smooth, quiet flight and a place to comfortably get your work done.
