Flying High with WiFi
Last week, the boss of a big airplane company named Ryanair had a talk with a man named Elon Musk. They talked about something called WiFi on airplanes. WiFi lets people use the internet on their tablets or computers, even when they are flying high in the sky!
The airplane boss thinks that in about four or five years, maybe by the time you are in fifth grade, all airplanes will have free WiFi for people to use. Right now, sometimes people have to pay money to use it. He said if it is free, many people will use it. But if they have to pay, they might not.
The boss wants to keep airplane tickets very cheap so families can fly. He said a low price for a ticket is more important than having free WiFi. He is worried that putting the special parts for WiFi on the outside of the plane makes the plane use more fuel. Fuel is what makes the plane go. More fuel costs more money, and that could make tickets cost more.
He said he would love to have the free WiFi “in a heartbeat” (which means right away!) if the special parts could go inside the plane instead of outside. Maybe soon, the smart people who make the WiFi technology can figure that out.
This news story is about thinking of ways to make flying fun and easy for everyone. It is about bosses making plans for the future. Who knows? Maybe on your next family trip, you will be able to watch your favorite show on the airplane for free!
Vocabulary Words
- Airplane: A big machine that flies in the sky and carries people.
- WiFi: A way to connect a tablet, computer, or phone to the internet without wires.
- Free: Not costing any money.
- Fuel: Something like special gas that makes cars, planes, and trucks go.
- Ticket: A piece of paper or a pass that lets you get on an airplane, train, or into a movie.
Comprehension Questions
- What did the airplane boss and Elon Musk talk about?
A) New kinds of toys
B) WiFi on airplanes
C) The best books to read
D) What to eat for lunch - When does the boss think all airplanes might have free WiFi?
A) Next week
B) In four or five years
C) When you are grown up
D) Last year - What is more important to the boss than free WiFi?
A) The color of the planes
B) Having cheap airplane tickets
C) The pilot‘s hat
D) Serving snacks - Why is the boss worried about putting WiFi parts on the outside of the plane?
A) They might fall off.
B) They make the plane use more fuel.
C) They are not pretty.
D) They are too loud. - What does “in a heartbeat” mean in the story?
A) Very slowly
B) Right away
C) Never
D) Only on Tuesdays
Answers
- B) WiFi on airplanes
- B) In four or five years
- B) Having cheap airplane tickets
- B) They make the plane use more fuel.
- B) Right away
