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(CNN) -- Checking your favorite sports scores or catching up on the latest news while sky-high is becoming a reality on many airlines and a step closer for others.
Recently, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) introduced high-speed Web access on selected flights from Copenhagen and plans to roll out the service on its long-haul fleet by February.
Early adopter Lufthansa is adding it to Munich-San Francisco and Munich-Miami routes. Japan Airlines (JAL) now has the service between Tokyo and London, while All Nippon Airways already utilizes the technology.
Other commercial airlines signing agreements to use Boeing's Connexion Internet service include Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, Korean Air, and Singapore Airlines (SIA).
SIA plans to roll it out on its Singapore-London route in the first quarter of 2005.
JAL passengers -- on any class -- with a wireless (Wi-Fi) network card are charged $30 for unlimited Internet use on London-Tokyo flights, or can opt for a per-minute rate.
The service will be extended to other long-haul flights on routes between Japan and Europe and Japan and the United States aboard Boeing 747-400 and 777 aircraft in the coming months.
This comes at a time when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted unanimously to allow wireless Internet access on commercial jetliners.
"Many of us would enjoy the ability to check out e-mails and work on documents in the air with a broadband connection," says FCC commissioner Kathleen Abernathy.
At present only a few U.S. carriers offer limited Internet access, including United Airlines, Continental Airlines and US Airways.
They offer access to web-based e-mail, instant messaging, and packaged Internet content for a small fee, but the service is not wireless.
By 2006, U.S. domestic air travelers could be doing the same as their European counterparts -- surfing wirelessly.
"Our job is to make (in-flight) communications possible," says FCC Chairman Michael Powell.
It costs about $100,000 to outfit a plane with the necessary equipment, a cost that can be covered by charging passengers or through other new revenue streams.
Offering Wi-Fi services will also finally let passengers stay connected during long periods of down time on board.
The FCC still has to decide how many companies it will allow to offer the air to ground services. The contracts could be auctioned off to Internet providers within a year.
While the FCC supports in-flight communication, don't expect to start making cell phone calls from 30,000 feet just yet. This service is still two or three years away.
FCC commissioners have also voted to solicit public comment about ending the ban on in-flight use of cell phones.
For some air travelers this may be bad news as it could take away the last haven of peace and quiet.
The FCC, along with the Federal Aviation Administration, currently bans in-flight cell phone use. It is concerned about mobile phones interfering with plane avionics.
-- CNN's Stephanie Elam contributed to this report.
