Boeing has won the battle to supply mile-high e-mail and web surfing to British Airways (BA) passengers.

BA has chosen the US firm's Connexion. It reportedly picked Connexion in preference to another system made by European firm Airbus.

BA said it had chosen Connexion because it was a broadband system.

"Connexion by Boeing allows passengers to not only surf the internet while on board but also allows business travellers to access their corporate and personal e-mail accounts, send real-time e-mails and access their corporate networks," said Martin George, BA's director of marketing.

Soaps at 35,000 feet?

"The technology could also provide British Airways with the capability to broadcast live TV and radio shows - all in flight", said BA.

BA said 75% of its business travellers take laptops on board with them and its research has shown that most of them were "extremely or very interested" in having internet access during the flight.

BA said it would begin trials of the system in February 2003.

Passengers who want to use the service are likely to have to pay bout �20 ($29.4) on each flight.

Initially, BA will test the system for three months in one Boeing 747-400 aircraft, but if the trial is successful, the system could be installed on all the airline's 100 longhaul planes by the end of next year, the Independent newspaper reported.

German airline Lufthansa has also picked the Connexion system.

As to how to fund the installation, one option reportedly under discussion is for Boeing to take on part of the costs in return for a share of revenues.

BA gave no details of installation costs or the value of the deal.