Wifi on planes: is it common now?

[LotusOmega375D]

I am writing this from an SAS 737 800 high above the North Sea. Is free wifi usual these days up here? Wanted to check the Champions League draw whilst airborne. Poor Man City!

[Parabola]

Oh no. Does that mean people can be yelling into Skype in the air now?

[Edinburger]

I remember BA and Cathay Pacific were piloting (no pun intended) wi-fi, but I didnt know it was widely available?

[Belvedere]

Norwegian have it on their 737-800s.

[Simpo Two]

Amazing the planes don't all crash (compare and contrast with the mobile phone debate: 'It can't crash a plane. Well it might. No it can't. Well just in case...')

[PaulG40]

Yeah I flew out to Lulea, Sweden with SAS, the 2nd out of 3 connections (Copenhagen to Stockholm) was on a SAS 737-800 and it had wi-fi, although with nearly every one of us on it, it was ridiculously slow! I ended up not bothering and put my iPod back in.

[MitchT]

Simpo Two said:

Amazing the planes don't all crash (compare and contrast with the mobile phone debate: 'It can't crash a plane. Well it might. No it can't. Well just in case...')

Airlines can't make money out of you using your phone on their plane. They can make money out of you using their wi-fi on their plane. Therein lies the truth.

[onyx39]

MitchT said:

Simpo Two said:

Amazing the planes don't all crash (compare and contrast with the mobile phone debate: 'It can't crash a plane. Well it might. No it can't. Well just in case...')

Airlines can't make money out of you using your phone on their plane. They can make money out of you using their wi-fi on their plane. Therein lies the truth.

You sure?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/feb/19/ryana...

Granted, it was only a trial, and was subsequently halted, but £3.00 per minute!

[LotusOmega375D]

I noticed a few 737s there with an unusual dorsal bulge. Are these the wifi equipped ones? By the way I was on a full flight and the free wifi was actually very quick.

[fadeaway]

MitchT said:

Simpo Two said:

Amazing the planes don't all crash (compare and contrast with the mobile phone debate: 'It can't crash a plane. Well it might. No it can't. Well just in case...')

Airlines can't make money out of you using your phone on their plane. They can make money out of you using their wi-fi on their plane. Therein lies the truth.

Not true. Your phone isn't connecting to a tower owned by your network. It's connecting to a cell owned by the airline, so they can charge you what they like.

[fatpasty]

Got a flight to Detroit next week. On their website it stats that they have a free wifi hub on the plane.

Fingers crossed

[Condi]

According to my mate who has just posted on FB from a Norwegian Air flight, at least some planes do.

[Matt Harper]

Pretty much all US domestic carriers have WiFi. It's called gogo in-air internet and costs $9.99 per flight, if you only have need for it occasionally.
I have a monthly subscription at $39.99 because I pretty much live on planes and can get a lot of work done, in what used to be an average of more than 15 wasted hours per week.
Thankfully Skype doesn't work due to all the ambient noise when the plane is in flight.

[dr_gn]

My wifes been on a plane loads of times - no problems at all.

[carreauchompeur]

dr_gn said:

My wifes been on a plane loads of times - no problems at all.

[sneijder]

Belvedere said:

Norwegian have it on their 737-800s.

I much prefer them over SAS.

Norwegian will announce at the gate if it is equipped, but the device is the square looking sunroof on top.

They haven't perfected the software / security to get you to pay for it yet though.

Many airlines are looking at it, as folk much prefer it to the on board entertainment, which on most aircraft is still not 99% reliable.

The Norwegian wifi takes you to a homepage with a map of your position and flight stats too.

Good stuff.

[y2blade]

Did a search and bought this thread up.

I Was reading last night that Virgin already have a wifi service on every aircraft.

How cool is that!



Edit: yeah I'm new to flying, so you all probably already knew this.

[miln0039]

Delta have it on their internal flights but nothing transatlantic due to it being too expensive whereas transcontinent they can get signal from land based thingies as they fly past them....I read it on the BBC...

ETA - found it! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18021468

Edited by miln0039 on Thursday 6th September 14:58

[y2blade]

miln0039 said:

Delta have it on their internal flights but nothing transatlantic due to it being too expensive whereas transcontinent they can get signal from land based thingies as they fly past them....I read it on the BBC...

Clever stuff eh!