Inflight Wi-Fi at Delta and American Airlines: What Travelers Can Expect at National Airports

As in life, the world business of aviation is changing with the times, or, changing to be ahead of the times.

In 2013, travelers will be greeted with airports and even airplanes offering Wi-Fi access, extra seats with more leg room, addition lie-flat beds, an accelerated security process and, no shocker here, added, or "supplementary" fees.

This isn't even mentioning the on-going restoring and/or reconstructing projects, funded by the different airlines at airports like, Washington Dulles International Airport, New York's Kennedy Airport and Philadelphia International Airport.

""In 2013, you will start seeing a lot of product development [as] we have to catch up for many years of underinvesting," United Chief Executive Jeff Smisek told a gathering of frequent fliers last month, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Delta Air Lines will complete its first-phase facelift project of Kennedy Airport's Terminal 4 next year, while also moving departing and arrival flights out of the antiquated Terminal 3. Along with this project Delta will launch a new partnership with Virgin Atlantic Airways, giving their customers more options for getting to both London airports (Heathrow and Getwick) and other international destinations from there.

Another massive change that is in the works, the possible merger between the bankrupted, Chapter 11 protected, AMR's American Airlines and US Airways.

However, the most change could be led by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

"The TSA is pushing to expand the ranks of 'trusted travelers' in 2013. The agency will study new ways to get people enrolled in the 'PreCheck' expedited-screening program. This moves travelers who have undergone background checks and finger printing into 'old-fashioned' screening lanes where you can leave your shoes and jacket on, leave your laptop and liquids in your bag and walk through a metal detector rather than a body scanner," said Administrator John Pistole, according to The Wall Street Journal.

With all these developments either taking place or on the cards to take place soon, it is appearing that, though 2013 is The Year of the Snake on the Chinese calendar, as far as the Aviation industry is concerned, it is The Year of the Change.