Verizon is ending its in-flight telephone

Say so long to Airfone. Verizon is ending its in-flight telephone service, at least for commercial airlines, by the end of this year. The move means that 1,000 aircraft will be bereft of in-flight passenger communications, at least communications provided by Verizon. Continental Airlines, Delta, US Airways and United Airlines will be affected.

Verizon will continue to provide Airfone service for corporate and government aircraft, for the time being at least.
In recent years in-flight telephones have been disappearing from airliners, much as pay phones have been vanishing on the ground. Cells are in the ascendant.

Airphone has never been cheap. Domestic calls cost $3.99 for the initial minute, and $4.99 per minute after that. For Verizon subscribers, the rate is $0.69 per minute, or $0.10 per minute for subscribers who pay a $10 monthly fee.
Whether the Verizon move will provide impetus for those who favor in-flight cell phone use remains to be seen.