Oct 26, 2015, 2:06 am
Last edit by: Adam Smith
General WiFi Tidbits
Detailed WiFi roll-out info compiled by FTers:
Planes with WiFi (confirmed by FTers):
Remaining planes planned for WiFi that are still without WiFI or unknown:
Planes with no plans to install WiFi:
Air Canada Status WiFi Benefit
- WiFi is managed by "WiFi Onboard", formerly known as "Gogo"
- If you have a pass from WiFi OnBoard for their entire fleet that will generally work
- You can redeem Aeroplan points for various packages ranging from one hour to the entire flight and at different speeds
- Only one device at a time can use the plan. Once you log in with another device with your WiFi Onboard or Aeroplan account the other device will drop
- Rouge J customers are now getting a one-time WiFi Onboard code for free WiFi on the flight instead of getting an iPad
Detailed WiFi roll-out info compiled by FTers:
Planes with WiFi (confirmed by FTers):
- GoGo 2Ku satellite-based system (fast, large coverage area, including over water - coverage map):
- 223
- 319 (rouge)
- 320 (rouge)
- 321 (rouge)
- 333 (except 946 and 948)
- 788
- 789 (except 860)
- 77L
- 77W
- Gogo ATG system (old, slow, only works over land in North America, and not very far north - coverage map)
- CR9: 701-721, 780-784 (note: a recent report from a Jazz pilot suggests the system may be disabled on 780-784)
- E75
- 319 (mainline)
- 320 (mainline)
- 321 (mainline)
Remaining planes planned for WiFi that are still without WiFI or unknown:
- CR9: 722-730 (note: a recent report from a Jazz pilot suggests the system may be disabled on 780-784)
- 7M8: all (AC had an embarrassing escapade with a Thales system that was completely inadequate. As of March 2023, they appear to have given up on this system. What they plan to replace it with is uncertain)
- 789: 860
- 333: 946, 948
Planes with no plans to install WiFi:
- DH4s
- CRJs
Air Canada Status WiFi Benefit
- The benefit lasts for 12 months from the date of activation, which is the first date you sign into Gogo on an AC flight using your Aeroplan account. Date of benefit selection is irrelevant. It must be activated by the end of the calendar year.
- Benefit currently works on all aircraft with WiFi, except possibly rouge. Some rouge aircraft have reported having access to the Aeroplan sign in which was required for the Aeroplan benefit to work. It's unknown whether the benefit will be extended to those fleets in the future.
- The benefit says you can have up to 5 users but that is five unique devices in a one month period and not simultaneous usage. You will need to log off one device to use another device on the same flight. GoGo will apparently block if it sees too many devices in a one month period to avoid credential sharing.
- There are huge problems with the Aeroplan login for this benefit. There is a high likelihood that you will need to attempt to log in numerous times for it to work, and it may not work at all. Chatting with WiFi Onboard support should get you a one-time code for free WiFi for the flight.
On-Board WIFI (2013-2022)
May 2, 2015, 5:36 am
#151
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There will most certainly be PIPEDA implications if sharing data with a US company. I run into this ALL the time working with Government agencies in Ottawa and implementations in the public cloud environment which is run by us, a US based company.
Is there any carrier that offers WIFI for its elite members or J/F pax?
Is there any carrier that offers WIFI for its elite members or J/F pax?
May 2, 2015, 6:48 am
#152
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Like the UCC club at Seattle (unique code every day), why not have a Wi-Fi code that is unique for every flight? Then the SD can hand it out to J pax?
May 2, 2015, 7:18 am
#153
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May 2, 2015, 7:27 am
#154
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If it's a one-time use code then it comes with all kinds of associated tech issues like "oops, it stopped working and now I can't get access". If it's multi-use, then you can share it with others. Among many other issues. Not impossible, but probably just not worth it for $10-$15.
May 2, 2015, 12:45 pm
#155
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If it's a one-time use code then it comes with all kinds of associated tech issues like "oops, it stopped working and now I can't get access". If it's multi-use, then you can share it with others. Among many other issues. Not impossible, but probably just not worth it for $10-$15.
May 2, 2015, 1:49 pm
#156
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Yes, but AC owns the database on the back end to allow us to login via AE #, PNR etc etc.
In order for Gogo to have access to this, it would need to have access to the AC DB, or it would have to have some form of federated services where it could technically hash the data being transferred, but still, if the US government wanted to get the information, hashed or not, they would be able to access personal Canadian data due to the Patriot Act.
This is precisely the reason why public cloud services, e.g. AWS, Intune, Azure and others, are very slowly in their adoption in the Canadian marketplace.
Oh, and I hate the authentication system. It's really slow in some MLL's across Canada
The many times I've been to YVR, the auth system takes at least 15-30 seconds to get through I always end up tethering if i'm at a MLL.
In order for Gogo to have access to this, it would need to have access to the AC DB, or it would have to have some form of federated services where it could technically hash the data being transferred, but still, if the US government wanted to get the information, hashed or not, they would be able to access personal Canadian data due to the Patriot Act.
This is precisely the reason why public cloud services, e.g. AWS, Intune, Azure and others, are very slowly in their adoption in the Canadian marketplace.
Oh, and I hate the authentication system. It's really slow in some MLL's across Canada
The many times I've been to YVR, the auth system takes at least 15-30 seconds to get through I always end up tethering if i'm at a MLL.
May 2, 2015, 2:20 pm
#157
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Yes, but AC owns the database on the back end to allow us to login via AE #, PNR etc etc.
In order for Gogo to have access to this, it would need to have access to the AC DB, or it would have to have some form of federated services where it could technically hash the data being transferred, but still, if the US government wanted to get the information, hashed or not, they would be able to access personal Canadian data due to the Patriot Act.
In order for Gogo to have access to this, it would need to have access to the AC DB, or it would have to have some form of federated services where it could technically hash the data being transferred, but still, if the US government wanted to get the information, hashed or not, they would be able to access personal Canadian data due to the Patriot Act.
The Aeroplan server responds with either "Grant free wifi", "Grant discounted wifi", or "Full price wifi", depending on whatever tiers they want to set up.
That is strictly less information than entering a credit card in-flight, which would provide them with your name, address, and credit card number instead of an Aeroplan number.
May 2, 2015, 3:33 pm
#158
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What personal information? It would be your Aeroplan number and the flight you're on.
The Aeroplan server responds with either "Grant free wifi", "Grant discounted wifi", or "Full price wifi", depending on whatever tiers they want to set up.
That is strictly less information than entering a credit card in-flight, which would provide them with your name, address, and credit card number instead of an Aeroplan number.
The Aeroplan server responds with either "Grant free wifi", "Grant discounted wifi", or "Full price wifi", depending on whatever tiers they want to set up.
That is strictly less information than entering a credit card in-flight, which would provide them with your name, address, and credit card number instead of an Aeroplan number.
May 2, 2015, 4:42 pm
#159
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I can sign into sites like imgur with my Google account, but if they request access to "Sign you in using your Google Account", then that's all they can do. I'm not even convinced they necessarily get my email address out of that, but it certainly doesn't let them read my mail. Just because an account has a huge set of data, doesn't mean it would be accessible to any service using that account for authentication.
May 2, 2015, 4:47 pm
#160
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I still don't know what you're talking about. That's not how authentication systems work.
I can sign into sites like imgur with my Google account, but if they request access to "Sign you in using your Google Account", then that's all they can do. I'm not even convinced they necessarily get my email address out of that, but it certainly doesn't let them read my mail. Just because an account has a huge set of data, doesn't mean it would be accessible to any service using that account for authentication.
I can sign into sites like imgur with my Google account, but if they request access to "Sign you in using your Google Account", then that's all they can do. I'm not even convinced they necessarily get my email address out of that, but it certainly doesn't let them read my mail. Just because an account has a huge set of data, doesn't mean it would be accessible to any service using that account for authentication.
Also, did you know that sometimes the password is passed on via plain text?
Yes, that happens, including one customer who had everyone setup in AD as a Domain Admin 
My point was, to summarize, that PPI data may be exchanged which may mean we'll never be able to know if they can work with GoGo to authenticate. Will names have to be passed on? Just the Altitude #? What about synchronization on Gogo's side with AC? etc etc etc. Too many variables, not enough hair.
Last edited by superangrypenguin; May 2, 2015 at 4:53 pm
May 2, 2015, 4:59 pm
#161
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I'm not sure how Google works on the back end, but if you look at things like Active Directory Federation Services and how it passes on data, then PPI is passed on via a hash. I'm well aware of how enterprises/government run into this issue with SSO with respect to authentication for Azure/Intune. If it's anything like that, then AC will run into legal implications. Now, let's be fair here though, AC just signed a huge deal with O365 so they must be using ADFS. I'm not sure how they got over the privacy issues, and maybe they aren't using ADFS, who knows? Maybe they don't care (as it's not customer info) Anyway, my point was, we can speculate all we want but we don't know how AC stores our Altitude info on the back end, so we can grind cycles all we want, but it won't go anywhere
Also, did you know that sometimes the password is passed on via plain text? Yes, that happens, including one customer who had everyone setup in AD as a Domain Admin
My point was, to summarize, that PPI data may be exchanged which may mean we'll never be able to know if they can work with GoGo to authenticate. Will names have to be passed on? Just the Altitude #? What about synchronization on Gogo's side with AC? etc etc etc. Too many variables, not enough hair.
Also, did you know that sometimes the password is passed on via plain text?
Yes, that happens, including one customer who had everyone setup in AD as a Domain Admin My point was, to summarize, that PPI data may be exchanged which may mean we'll never be able to know if they can work with GoGo to authenticate. Will names have to be passed on? Just the Altitude #? What about synchronization on Gogo's side with AC? etc etc etc. Too many variables, not enough hair.
I'm telling you how to build it so there would be no privacy issues.
I don't care how data is stored on the Aeroplan/Altitude side, since that's not relevant to a proper implementation of the system.
I could build this in a day using technologies I'm familiar with.
May 2, 2015, 5:16 pm
#162
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But you're talking about problems with a system that doesn't exist.
I'm telling you how to build it so there would be no privacy issues.
I don't care how data is stored on the Aeroplan/Altitude side, since that's not relevant to a proper implementation of the system.
I could build this in a day using technologies I'm familiar with.
I'm telling you how to build it so there would be no privacy issues.
I don't care how data is stored on the Aeroplan/Altitude side, since that's not relevant to a proper implementation of the system.
I could build this in a day using technologies I'm familiar with.
Hell i'm not too sure how their data is even stored!
May 3, 2015, 4:33 am
#163
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May 3, 2015, 7:52 am
#164
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Jun 28, 2015, 8:16 pm
#165
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Anybody know if there's a list of FINs kicking around that are wifi-enabled? I know the original two 319s were 280 and 282. Curious how much of the 319/320/321 fleet is now wifi-enabled (namely wondering what aircraft variant I can maximize my likelihood to get wifi on).