NEW YORK — One of the few remaining Internet-free havens vanished yesterday as American Airlines launched airborne e-mail, Web and other online services on some of its longer, nonstop flights.

The move could create a new stream of revenue for an industry facing high fuel prices and other challenges. But it also could create new headaches as passengers retrieve sensitive e-mails and Web sites in confined quarters.

And it could end a common excuse people have to avoid checking "urgent" e-mail requests from their bosses.

American, a unit of AMR Corp., tested in-flight access on two flights on June 25. With yesterday's launch, the airline is making service available for $12.95 per flight on its 15 Boeing 767-200 planes connecting New York with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.

Delta Air Lines Inc., Virgin America and US Airways Group Inc. are among the other airlines planning to test in-flight services.

JetBlue Airways Corp. offers free Wi-Fi service on one aircraft through its LiveTV subsidiary, limited to e-mail without attachments, instant messaging and some services from www.Amazon.com. Continental Airlines Inc. also plans to use LiveTV with similar restrictions.

Aircell's GoGo service — still formally a test, meaning American could drop it entirely after three to six months —will block Internet-based phone calls, giving passengers relief from chatty seatmates.

However, American and other U.S. airlines have said they will not filter sites based on their content, raising the prospect of passengers surfing racy material with kids nearby. Airlines say they already have general policies to address unruly passengers, and those would apply as they do now to passengers who browse adult magazines.