I admit it – I can’t stand the thought of not being connected. Whether it’s e-mail, the Internet or checking social networking platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter, I find it hard to be unplugged. The growing popularity of smartphone devices coupled with Wi-Fi hotspots and mobile WiMAX is only proliferating our “always-connected” culture. So it’s no surprise that airlines are looking toward inflight Wi-Fi offerings to help passengers stay connected while they travel.

Over the past couple of years, several airlines have begun offering inflight Wi-Fi services as a way to build customer loyalty and create additional revenue opportunities. Communiqué PR has been working closely with Alaska Airlines to help build buzz around its inflight Internet initiative. Last spring, we helped the airline launch a trial of its inflight Wi-Fi service which garnered some excellent results with local and national media as well as technology and aviation vertical publications.

On Wed., Feb. 24 the airline announced it would partner with Aircell to offer its Gogo Inflight Internet service on all of Alaska’s aircraft. With Gogo Inflight Internet, Alaska’s passengers will be able to browse the Web; access online music, games, podcasts and webcasts; send and receive e-mail; and connect to virtual private networks (VPN) while flying.

In order to drive awareness around this news, we recommended developing press materials with succinct messages and conducting targeted outreach to national, travel, aviation and technology media and bloggers as well as local media in Alaska’s key markets along the West Coast.

Communiqué partnered with Alaska Airlines and Aircell to conduct joint outreach to national, travel, aviation and technology media and bloggers. Specifically, we were responsible for reaching out to technology media and bloggers to help spark interest in the news. Overall, the launch was a huge success with coverage from Associated Press (which garnered more than 60 picks ups in outlets such as USA Today and MSNBC), Aviation Week, Boarding Area, PC World and Anchorage Daily News to name a few.

As a result of our outreach, we were able to secure coverage in Puget Sound Business Journal, Wireless Week, FierceBroadband Wireless and Informationweek.

The news was also widely tweeted about on Twitter by key media and analysts who cover Alaska Airlines as well as the airlines’ customers.