[TruthWillWin]

But with all that high-tech there was one thing missing — Wi-Fi.

United Chief Executive Jeff Smisek told reporters that Boeing was working with federal aviation authorities to certify communications equipment to maintain broadband on a composite aircraft, a process that could take until 2014 to complete.

?? Was on a Southwest flight last month that had wi-fi.

[Olog-hai]

Was it a plane with a composite fuselage?

[DennisR]

The difference is that one has an aluminum fuselage and the other a composite fuselage. The response to electromagnetic waves is different between the two.

[ArrogantBustard]

certify communications equipment to maintain broadband on a composite aircraft

Your Southwest flight was NOT on a 787. It was probably on a 737 ... a standard aluminum aircraft.

[TalonDJ]

Was on a Southwest flight last month that had wi-fi.

They have to do the certification on a type (of plane) by type basis. Sometimes even by individual plane. And to DO the cert they need the plane to be in the fully final configuration. They can only now start doing it. 737s are easier to qualify because their inboard electronics is a known quantity. No last minute design changes happening on that plane.