Gogo has filed suit against Southwest Airlines seeking a preliminary injunction to block the carrier from removing Gogo inflight Wi-Fi connectivity systems from AirTran Airways’ aircraft.
In an amended IPO filing with the US Securities & Exchange Commission, Gogo says Southwest on 23 January notified the Chicago-area company that it intended to de-install the Gogo system on the AirTran fleet “as part of the process by which Southwest Airlines’ and AirTran’s fleets will be merged”.
On 7 March, Gogo responded by filing suit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois “seeking a preliminary injunction barring AirTran from de-installing our equipment in violation of the inflight Internet connectivity agreement we entered into with AirTran”.
AirTran is a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest.
Revenue from passengers using the Gogo service while flying on aircraft operated by AirTran accounted for less than 5 per cent of Gogo’s consolidated revenue for the year ended 31 December 2011, says Gogo in its amended filing. Nonetheless, Gogo has notified potential investors that if it does not succeed in its attempt to enjoin AirTran from de-installing its equipment, “our results of operations would be adversely affected”.
Southwest, which is in the midst of equipping its fleet with Row 44’s satellite-supported connectivity solution, recently began retrofitting AirTran Boeing 737s with Row 44, as well as its new Evolve interior. It is looking to lease the AirTran 717 fleet to Delta Air Lines.
June 8, 2012 at 1:53 am
Hate to hear this. Gogo is outstanding. Southwest’s WIFI is a joke. I think Dialup might be faster. I love SWA, but their Wifi is completely pointless. I rarely find a plane with it available, and when I do, 50% of the time its down, and the other 50% doesn’t matter, b/c its too slow to do any thing on it.
October 26, 2012 at 8:24 pm
Gogo is ludicrously expensive.