Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Netvigator at CX not really worth it

True, one does not have to pay just to have a look at the list of mail that lies waiting in your inbox (once you go through the process of setting your laptop up for the in-flight internet connection in CX), but once you decide you want to read certain mail, you will have to pay (they have a short-haul [4-hr] and the long-haul rate options). Problem is, it is very sloooooooow to do the download. It takes at least 5 minutes per mail. Sending email takes just as long or even longer.

Thus far, e-mail is the only thing you can do from this web-based program, but despite the fact that you need a browser to work with the program, you cannot really surf the net.

Anybody who has had experiences with Connexion by Boeing either with LX or SQ?

Connexion on SQ is very easy to set up and very fast (seemed to be broadband in speed). I had no trouble using the web access program we use at work to check on company email from my personal laptop.

The only thing is, the rollout plan isn't common knowledge. It has been available on only a subset of the LHR-SIN flights I've been on.

I had Connexion by Boeing on NRT-JFK on NH a couple of weeks ago. It was like any other wireless LAN service. Just turn on your PC (and the built-in wireless system) and click the browser and pay upfront. I thought it was pretty fast and could listen to BBC/FranceInter and use skype as well. A remarkable technology piece onboard. ^ NH also lets u hook up via a LAN cable. The service is available for the entire cabin. I assume Y class pax must use wireless.

I have personally not had an opportunity to try CONNEXION by Boeing. Heard many wonderful things about it. The Tenzing system barely works. Out of the last five flights I have taken it has only worked once.

Is Boeing only offering CONNEXION installation on Boeing aircraft only ? If this is the case then CX would face a problem with not being able to offer the service on its Airbus fleet.

As much as i like Skype.. I really dont want to listen to other people shouting 'hello can you hear me?' repeatedly over the VOIP in such a confined space.

Is Boeing only offering CONNEXION installation on Boeing aircraft only ? If this is the case then CX would face a problem with not being able to offer the service on its Airbus fleet.

LH offers it on their A340s.

Tenzing and Boeing's Connexion products are two different products.

The Tenzing product was rolled out first and it has a different installation systems and functionality. At present, Tenzing is only email but it has recently merged with SITA and Airbus to form a new company called "OnAir" that will provide broadband internet. So watch the space.

Boeing's Connexion is a newer product but the installation to airlines is labour intensive and takes time to install new equipment on top of the fuselage.

In conclusion, the two products are totally different and CX was an early adoptor of the technology where emails were the only functionality that Tenzing was able to offer.

I am sure you will find broadband internet onboard a CX aircraft soon once "OnAir" launches its broadband internet product.

As much as i like Skype.. I really dont want to listen to other people shouting 'hello can you hear me?' repeatedly over the VOIP in such a confined space.

Neither am I looking forward to that possible acceptance of cell phone usage on board. While I do not have anything against the use of cell phone on board per se, I do have problems with people who is oblivious of his/her surroundings. If they do approve it, I hope that they will create a sound-proof booth where the user can just go in for a chat. A dedicated zone is not good enough as it will bother the front and last rows of the cabin (since the zone most likely will be out of the cabin but still close enough).

Maybe one should follow the Japanese mannerism of cell phone usage where the person physically removes him/herself when talking, and making sure nobody else is bothered.

IMHO, Netvigator Inflight is a complete ripoff. Even though I had logged in under my Netvigator home account (apparently you get a discount), it still cost me HK$810 for 16 e-mail transactions (in and out). There was a big fat research report sitting in my inbox at the time with a price tag of over HK$900 to download... the report itself wasn't that expensive to obtain. It is just such an expensive feature with severe limitations for the price...

Looking forward to trying Connexion or OnAir in the future.

well, if i am not mistaken about what skype is, you really don't need to shout to use it.

u can of course use it to shout whatever you like onboard perhaps.

I had some deadlines to meet and lot of emails to download/upload. Netvigator on CX worked well for me on SFO-HKG, LAX-HKG, HKG-LAX and a few other sectors. It gets expensive with attachments but for small size emails, ti works fine.