Watch live TV on flights: Live streaming is set to take to the skies
If your flight has ever clashed with an all-important football match or the Wimbledon final, you'll be punching the air with glee at a new development set to hit the skies, although your fellow passengers might not.
Thanks to developments on in-flight WiFi, travellers could soon keep up with breaking news or sporting events while being whisked to their favourite holiday destination.
America's Southwest Airlines could well be one of the first to offer the service, enabling passengers to watch BBC World News, Bloomberg Television, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC and VERSUS on their phones or laptops.
Connected: In-flight internet services are increasingly available
WiFi provider Row44, which serves several commercial airlines including Southwest, announced it has reached an agreement with the news and sport channels about on-board entertainment.
The technology would allow live programming to be supplied via satellite link from a network of stations on the ground.
The use of in-flight WiFi is growing in popularity and accessibility, with more airlines providing the service on selected flights.
American airline Delta is set to introduce WiFi service to all of its regional jets, including shuttles between New York-LaGuardia and Boston and Chicago-OHare and Washington, DC, by early next year.
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Unfortunately, European airlines seem to be lagging behind the Americans, with on-board WiFi connectivity in Europe is scattered and less accessible.
In January 2003, Lufthansa became the first airline to run a scheduled flight with broadband internet access.
The company said its entire long-haul fleet will be equipped with internet access by the end of this year but it does not provide the service on shorter flights.
Virgin Atlantic said it is looking into providing WiFi but also has no launch date set.
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