From an airplane 30,000 feet in the air, a text message pops up on a smart phone on the ground. "Looks like my flight is arriving ahead of schedule," the message reads. "Should be ready for pickup 15 minutes early."

Beginning Oct. 1, Delta Air Lines will become the first U.S. global carrier to offer free mobile messaging, providing more customers access to free messaging than any other carrier. The airline will also have the most aircraft enabled with free messaging. 

This new, complimentary capability will enable customers to stay fully connected with those on the ground and exchange real time messages in flight with friends, families, colleagues, and clients via iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The enhancement is part of Delta's multi-billion dollar investment in the customer experience.

"We know many of Delta's customers want or need to stay connected in the air and on the ground, which is why we're investing in an easy, free way to send and receive messages inflight through some of the most popular global platforms," said Tim Mapes, Delta's Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "Coupled with our investments in seat-back screens, free entertainment and High-Speed Wi-Fi, free messaging is one more way customers can choose how to make the most of their time on Delta flights."

Free messaging will be available on all Gogo-enabled Delta flights, including all aircraft with two or more cabins. Customers will be able to access free messaging through Delta's Wi-Fi portal page, airborne.gogoinflight.com. Free mobile messaging will be for text use only and does not support the transfer of photo or video files.

Delta's High-Speed Wi-Fi, powered by Gogo's 2Ku Wi-Fi technology, is delivering next-generation technology that provides consistent, uninterrupted coverage anywhere in the world, including over oceans. Delta has the largest current fleet of Gogo 2Ku aircraft and the largest commitment to 2Ku of any airline in the world. Over the next two years, Delta is set to install over 600 aircraft with High-Speed Wi-Fi for domestic and international flights.

The airline's High-Speed 2Ku Wi-Fi gives customers an at-home experience in flight, including the ability to stream video and use work-related networks, such as VPN, globally. Unlike prior versions of in-flight technology on Delta, customers may now use Wi-Fi from gate to gate on 2Ku-enabled aircraft. To date, the airline has installed 200 aircraft with the improved Wi-Fi technology.

Additionally, Delta offers customers more aircraft with seatback entertainment than any airline in the world, installing its 500th aircraft with seat-back entertainment in July. With a commitment to install over 600 aircraft with seat-back screens by the end of 2018, in partnership with Panasonic, Delta is putting choice in the hands of the customer. In addition to investing in seat-back entertainment, customers can also choose to stream Delta Studio to their personal devices on the airline's entire mainline fleet as well as all two-class regional aircraft.