Reports have surfaced that Japan's two major airlines, JAL and ANA, are planning to start Wi-Fi services on some international flights. In fact, Japan Airlines (JAL) is expected to begin offering Wi-Fi services next month. While All Nippon Airways (ANA) plans to offer such service by the middle of next year.

Initially, the Computerworld report says that ANA’s Wi-Fi service will begin on international routes served by certain Boeing (News - Alert) 777 and 767 aircrafts. However, ANA did not say whether it will also launch the service on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Meanwhile, JAL is expected to begin Wi-Fi service from July 15th on flights between Tokyo and New York, wrote Computerworld.com reporter Jay Alabaster. According to Alabaster, “A one-hour plan will cost $11.95, while 24 hours of access will cost $21.95. Wi-Fi will be offered for free through September for first class and other elite passengers.”

Initially, the report indicates that JAL will offer Wi-Fi on the New York route every other day until August 5. After that, it will be available on every New York flight, said the airlines. Beginning late August, the JAL will extend the Wi-Fi to flights from Tokyo to Los Angeles and Chicago. And, in October, it will be expanded to flights to Jakarta as well.

The Computerworld report points to cost as a major hurdle to overcome before Wi-Fi can become mainstream for airlines and passengers. For instance, wrote Alabaster, “Outfitting a single plane for the service can cost an airline more than $100,000, making some companies wary, and passengers have been unwilling to pay when other entertainment is available often for free.”

While JAL intends to use T-Mobile (News - Alert) as its service provider, ANA is planning to deploy OnAir, which uses satellites to provide its connections and lists British Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines among its customers.

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