An electronic communication system for use onboard an aircraft includes a
server and a plurality of input ports for connection with passenger
computing devices. Passengers can send and retrieve electronic messages
(e-mail and/or attachments) using a proxy-based web server access to the
user's own e-mail service provider. The system receives proxy-based
commands from the user's computing device and translates those commands
into web-based commands that enable communication with the passenger's
e-mail accounts. The passenger may send e-mail communications by
composing a message on the passenger computing device and sending it via
the web-based proxy server. E-mail messages may also be retrieved from
one or more passenger e-mail accounts. In one embodiment, the system
transmits only e-mail summary information to the airborne server and
provides the summary information to the passenger. The passenger may
select one or more e-mails and/or attachments for subsequent retrieval,
thus limiting passenger expense for retrieval of unwanted or unnecessary
e-mails and/or attachments. The system may also display cost information
associated with uploading the e-mail and/or attachments to enable the
passenger to select those desired messages for subsequent transmission.
