Southwest Airlines passengers with Apple products with iOS 5 and beyond are able send to send iMessages to other phone users at no charge for $2 from their departure to arrival gates Venture Beat reported Wednesday.
"Tell us what your favorite Android-based messaging apps are and we'll ask Santa to make it happen early in 2014!" Angela Vargo, marketing manager at Southwest Airlines said in a blog post.
Southwest has teamed with Global Eagle Entertainment to make the amenity available.
The news is the latest development since the airline also began allowing flyers to use Wi-Fi.
Flyers can use the service for $8 a device throughout any stops or connecting flights their trip takes them on.
Passengers do however need to put over-sized laptops, and devices bigger than tablet computers away while the plane ascends into the air, flies back down, and travels to and from the gate on the runway.
Southwest joins JetBlue in the category of airlines who allow the use of portable electronic devices.
The airline began to put Wi-Fi on all of its planes in 2009. Most of the airline's 737-700, and 737-800 aircrafts were installed with the service at the conclusion of 2013's first fiscal quarter.
The decision for the use of Wi-Fi on all aspects of the flight stems from the Federal Aviation Administration announcement that passengers could operate their PED's when airplane mode is selected. The option shuts off a device's cellular network, and allows crew members to switch over to the airline's W-Fi The Denver Post reported.
JetBlue first implemented the new guidelines on its 2302 flight from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Buffalo, N.Y. Nov. 2.
JetBlue customers can operate their smart phones, tablets, games and other smaller electronic devices at all times while the plane is moving a press release reported. The only exception would be if a flight attendant or pilot gives them different instructions.
