[Flightlevel]

Just paid $20 for wifi on CX and it receives a signal and doesn’t transmit.
Just says waiting on Facebook and that always happens when not connected.
It sends your message when you are next online. So maybe not online on CX and their wifi is receive only?
Anyone had better luck on airline wifi?
Apologies to CX. Just got replies so it definitely works. Must be online to get replies even over the Pacific ocean!
Well done to CX – nobody does it better!

[Tom Otley]

Are you on there at the moment?

[Flightlevel]

Yes I was impatient, got replies after about 10-15 minutes so I suppose that’s the signal time to the satelite to ground and back.
I’m used to military satelites that reply in two minutes.Its an eight hour flight HKG-BNE so a reasonable response.

[Tom Otley]

I’ve used it on many airlines and in general found it very frustrating.

Willie Walsh on wifi

BA says its new long haul service which is being rolled out is much better / faster, so we’ll see, but certainly the airlines I have used it on – including Cathay, Virgin, Finnair, Etihad… it’s not been much fun.

[LuganoPirate]

I was onboard a Lufthansa flight to New York a year ago, when the Captain announced free wifi for the whole plane as an apology for using the A340 instead of the 747, with the stipulation it not be used for Facetime calls.
Of course what did almost everyone do, use it for Facetime, Skype, WhatsApp etc. I managed to convince Mrs.LP in a WhatsApp call, we had made an emergency landing in Gander and she believed me!!! My boy came into the F cabin and was showing his pals the inside of the plane in flight! The few emails and WhatsApps I sent all went immediately.

More recently I’ve used it on Lufthansa in Europe, and on Emirates and all have worked perfectly with quite good speeds and instant sends and receives. Maybe that’s because we’re closer to the satellites 🙂

[K1ngston]

I have used wifi on SQ between SIN-LHR and it is fast and efficient albeit there is a limit so have to be careful what is done, I have also used it on QR with varying degrees of success but again it works….

[LuganoPirate]

There’s a Lufthansa Entertainment App which once downloaded allows you to download magazines, papers and I think some TV shows from the on board wifi for free. It’s available shortly after take off until just before landing. However, it can only be used for in flight entertainment. It does not playback after you’ve landed.

[K1ngston]

LP, Virgin Australia have the same thing and if you haven’t downloaded the app before the flight you dont get to use the entertainment, but its not WIFI as we know it ….

[stevescoots]

I use it all the time on EK and its free for Business class. Its by no means fast but found to be stable enough for occational skype video calls, pulling down several Gig of mail. It does not operate over India or China to comply with thier rules. possibly the CX issue you had was airspace you were in. i have used CX before and found no problems

[Flightlevel]

Stevescoots thks, the CX crew said it maybe the location ‘though always over smaller island nations and then Oz so no restrictions except satelite problems.
Paid for whole flight and it cut out after about 45 mins and refused to let me sign in the rest of the flight so take only the cheaper 1 hour on CX at $10.

[Tom Otley]

[quote quote=831408]There’s a Lufthansa Entertainment App which once downloaded allows you to download magazines, papers and I think some TV shows from the on board wifi for free. It’s available shortly after take off until just before landing. However, it can only be used for in flight entertainment. It does not playback after you’ve landed.
[/quote]

I hope it had Business Traveller on there!

With regard to coverage, I’ve taken Qatar Airways flights where for the majority of the flight (over India and Pakistan, for instance) the wifi is blocked because of the authorities on the ground, so it isn’t worth buying for those sectors in any case.

[Flightlevel]

[quote quote=831503]Stevescoots thks, the CX crew said it maybe the location ‘though always over smaller island nations and then Oz so no restrictions except satelite problems. Paid for whole flight and it cut out after about 45 mins and refused to let me sign in the rest of the flight so take only the cheaper 1 hour on CX at $10.
[/quote]
Result,complained online on wifi (always live on the CX aircraft) and Panasonic replied,refunded me (they say)unused $10 because of signal loss for unknown reasons.
Possibly the environment outside the aircraft’though 39000feet and good wx,no sunspots,so close to the satelite!
Anyhow good value and guess both CX and Panasonic – nobody does it better!

[SimonS1]

Agree with Stevescoots, I use it all the time on EK. Not much good for streaming but for emails, whatsapp etc its fine.

Free in business and to GCH.

Certainly a bit cheaper than BA’s proposed prices:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28877890-post8.html

[seasonedtraveller]

FF Status allows me free of charge WiFi on SAS and in general, I’ve been very pleased with it.

Cuts out when overflying China but that’s no fault of SAS.

[Author]

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