Thanks to the leadership of Michael Small, president and CEO, and Jack Blumenstein, co-president, there are more than 6,000 Gogo-equipped commercial and business aircraft in service today.
A simple idea drawn on a restaurant’s paper napkin laid the groundwork for Gogo to launch a telephone system for airplanes ― leading to a revolutionary mobile broadband Internet network for use in the air. The cellular technology is now installed on roughly one out of every three aircraft in the domestic fleet of major U.S. airlines.
Small’s mission when he joined the company was to revolutionize mobile Internet to air travel and to enhance Gogo’s position as the global leader in in-flight connectivity. He recruited top talent and partnered with leading companies, such as Google and Hewlett Packard, to help establish Gogo Inflight Internet service.
To get connected on Gogo, all travelers need is a Wi-Fi enabled device and a Gogo account.
Gogo is committed to continuous improvement of its system, reducing costs, cycle times and signal failures. The company plans to introduce voice systems and a new generation of cabin equipment for business aviation soon.
Its current partners include Air Canada, AirTran, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, U.S. Airways and Virgin America.
Small and Blumenstein are active in nonprofit organizations and institutions and collaborate with Gogo partners on charitable affairs. Small sits on the board of CeasefireNJ and PAX — The Center to Prevent Youth Violence. The Charlie Blumenstein Water and Wildlife Internship program honors Blumenstein’s deceased son and provides for a paid internship each summer at The Nature Conservancy Silver Creek Preserve in Idaho. Gogo recently partnered with Delta Airlines to support disaster relief efforts in Japan, matching contributions made in-flight to the American Red Cross, to whose site Gogo gave complimentary access.
How to reach: Gogo, (630) 647-1594 or www.gogoinflight.com
