THY offers free Wi-Fi in response to electronics ban

Turkish Airlines (THY) CEO Bilal Ekşi announced that the airline will offer free Wi-Fi for passengers on U.S.-bound flights effective March 31, if they hand in their laptops and tablets.

The CEO made the announcement on his Twitter account both in Turkish and English with the hashtag #freetravel.

Since passengers were recently banned from carrying laptops, E-books and tablets on flights from 10 airports in eight cities worldwide, including on U.S. bound flights from Istanbul and inbound and outbound flights in six countries including Turkey, the airline has become one of several to upgrade their in-flight entertainment systems.

Daily Sabah previously reported that THY, which reaches a turnover of nearly $1 billion a year from its flights to the U.S., plans to launch various applications such as "free internet and passenger tablets" for inflight entertainment systems to avoid losing passengers.

Wi-Fi service normally costs $9.99 per hour and $14.99 per 24 hours for economy class, on flights from Turkey to the U.S. It was also reported that similar projects have also been carried out by the Dubai-based Emirates Airlines.

THY launched its high-speed Wi-Fi internet service in 2012 to allow passengers to communicate on board.

During the trial period, all THY passengers received internet service through their notebooks and tablets as well as mobile phones with a wireless feature that they brought with them.

THY is not the only Turkish airliner to have introduced a solution for the recent electronics ban.

Atlasglobal Airlines has also launched an exclusive application to carry restricted electronic devices to the U.K.

Flying from Istanbul to London's Stansted Airport, Atlasglobal Airlines keeps the restricted electronic devices delivered from Atatürk Airport in special protective bags and delivers them to passengers after landing.

According to a statement released by the company, carrying mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, laptops and all peripheral units/accessories of these devices larger than 16 centimeters-by-9.3 centimeters-by-1.5 centimeters, with the exception of medical devices, on flights to London's Stansted is banned, compelling Atlasglobal to launch an application.

Accordingly, all Atlasglobal passengers flying to the U.K. will carry their electronic devices at Atatürk Airport to the boarding gate and hand them over to Atlasglobal officials. The said devices are kept in special protective bags and delivered to passengers after landing.

The statement also noted that thanks to the practice of preventing the victimization of passengers, all passengers departing from Istanbul and transit London passengers will go on with their flights smoothly.

Moreover, Pegasus Airlines CEO Mehmet Nane has announced that they have also started working on potential Wi-Fi service on Pegasus flights, saying that additional actions could be taken in response to the electronics ban.

Transportation minister: U.K. may lift ban

Meanwhile, Turkey's Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Ahmet Arslan spoke about the electronic device ban imposed by the U.S. and the U.K., saying that a technical crew will travel to the U.K. to address the ban.

"We think that the U.K. will lift the ban. Talks with the U.S. could take longer. If the ban is to be applied, it should be applied everywhere," Minister Arslan said, stressing that the decision taken by the U.S. and the U.K. led to different implementations being made among various countries.

"As a result of talks with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), we have convinced them to take initiatives regarding the matter," Arslan added.