UPDATE: ROUND TWO: A second promotional freebie is scheduled to run for just six days:  Tuesday, August 16-Sunday August 21. What’s different about this one is that it’s only good for a 30-minute trial (not unlimited use). Once the 30 minutes are up, users will be logged off and asked to pay for the connection at standard rates. The 30-minute trial promo is also sponsored by Diet Coke, but no promo code is needed this time.

There’s been some confusing, conflicting and erroneous information circulating about the free Gogo wi-fi promotion on Delta sponsored by Diet Coke this week, but the TICKET has the scoop:

First, a report from our intrepid airline correspondent Ramsey Qubein who took advantage of the promo on Delta flights this week. His report confirms what we’ve heard from several other TICKET readers:

“Wi-fi is available for free, but log on early as the speed can really slow to a crawl when the whole plane is using it. Typically, it seems to handle about 50 people well, but beyond that, the service slows down. Many flight attendants know about the code [DIETCOKEGOGO], but admit to not announcing it on the PA because it could lead to slower service for everyone.”

We contacted Gogo spokesman Steven Nolan to find out what was going on. First, he told us that the current promotion using the DIETCOKEGOGO code was only intended to run for the first few days of August— NOT the entire month as has been widely reported. He said that the promo was designed to be available only until they reached certain goals in terms of users and impressions (which he would not reveal). When we spoke on Friday morning, he said that those goals had been reached and the promo code would no longer work.

ROUND TWO: Nolan said that a second promotional freebie is scheduled to run for just six days: [UPDATE:] Tuesday, August 16-Sunday August 21. What’s different about this one is that it’s only good for a 30-minute trial (not unlimited use). Once the 30 minutes are up, users will be logged off and asked to pay for the connection at standard rates. The 30-minute trial promo is also sponsored by Diet Coke.

Nolan said that Gogo is confident that its system can handle the increased traffic around such promotions, but if pre-paid monthly users report that their experience is sub-par, Gogo will handle the complaint on a case-by-case basis. He also said that Gogo has not experienced a spike in complaints about slow service this week.

Interested in reading more about in-flight internet availability around the world? Then be sure to check out TICKET editor Chris McGinnis’s BBC.com column from this week: In-flight wi-fi slow to expand outside the US. A great read!

Have you used in-flight wi-fi this week? How did it go for you? Please leave your comments below!

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