Alaska Airlines Offers New In-Flight Amenities Include 'Free Chat' from Smartphone

To start the new year off fresh, Alaska Airlines is debuting a complimentary service called 'Free Chat' to "help fliers stay connected with friends and loved ones on the ground," according to a recent press release.

According to the release on the Alaska Airlines website, "Alaska's Gogo-equipped flights can use iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to send greetings from 35,000 feet - for free."

"We're celebrating the new year – and our new, bigger airline – with the rollout of new customer-friendly enhancements on Alaska-branded flights, starting with Free Chat," said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines' executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "We know that staying in touch while on the go is essential to our guests, many of whom don't need full Internet access. Free Chat is a great way to keep that connection alive without breaking the bank. And yes, it's fully emoji-compatible."

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The latest "enhancements" don't stop at the free messaging either. Some of the latest amenities include free movies and upgraded food and beverage options.

"To celebrate its recent merger with Virgin America and the concept of "Different Works," Alaska is offering free, unlimited access to its entire catalog of entertainment available to stream on guests' devices, including Hollywood movies and popular TV shows through March 31, 2017. New titles available to view in January include Hollywood hits Nice Guys, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, X-Men Apocalypse, and Ice Age Collision Course."

The food and snack options will get a boost "including new premium wines from Washington State's award-winning Chateau Ste. Michelle, as well as new premium craft beer, bourbon and a sure-to-be-favorite: sparkling wine from La Marca."

The Premium Class on the airline also had some improvements. Passengers can now enjoy four additional inches of legroom and can enjoy complimentary snacks and early boarding. 

"To be among the first to try Free Chat, guests will simply need to sign into their Gogo Wi-Fi accounts and follow a few easy steps to begin chatting on their devices."

The Free Chat launched in beta Friday, and will be full functioning Jan. 24 and is the first and only U.S. airline to offer this complimentary service to all of the guests.