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)
Feb 25, 2018, 12:52 pm
#871
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan/Hilton Gold/Marriott Bonvoy Titanium/Accor/Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 5,899
Wifi is either available or not available over China depending on whether or not the crew bothers to turn it off. I had full coverage on UA flights EWR/HKG that went eastbound and down through communist China where the crew was napping, eating, gossiping or otherwise too busy to bother to turn it off.
Feb 25, 2018, 3:57 pm
#872
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ideally YOW, but probably not
Programs: AC SE*MM
Posts: 1,827
I used it CDG-YUL last week and I was pretty happy, but I paid full price (well, my employer did, but anyway). I agree the new WiFi on the 77W is a lot better than the WiFi on the narrowbodies, and I maintained a connection all the way over the Atlantic.
Feb 25, 2018, 7:10 pm
#873
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SEMM, NEXUS
Posts: 858
I did not notice if service was interrupted or not, and for how long, since I was sleeping. But I had about a dozen messages when I woke up so the connection is persistent.
Still a killer price for 12 hours.
Feb 25, 2018, 7:12 pm
#874
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AC
Posts: 2,167
That is typical for any airline when you traverse the N. Pole.
Mar 3, 2018, 3:57 pm
#878
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Just a data point
Currently onboard AC 7 fin 738. Wi-Fi is a bit “hiccupy” ( the technical term, lol) and he usage experience is not as smooth as last week in AC 63, same aircraft type but fin 742
Not sure if it’s a combination of the service or our location or it’s just based on he phases of the moon
Still, it’s rather amusing up here
Currently onboard AC 7 fin 738. Wi-Fi is a bit “hiccupy” ( the technical term, lol) and he usage experience is not as smooth as last week in AC 63, same aircraft type but fin 742
Not sure if it’s a combination of the service or our location or it’s just based on he phases of the moon
Still, it’s rather amusing up here
Mar 10, 2018, 12:09 pm
#879
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,331
It took me half the flight to convince the SD there was an issue (the network did not show up on any device).
I finally got him to flip the switch off and on.
10 minutes later, wifi is working well enough for me to post this.
I really want AC to send me a card that says "This passenger knows how onboard wifi works - do what he says in relation to wifi"
I finally got him to flip the switch off and on.
10 minutes later, wifi is working well enough for me to post this.
I really want AC to send me a card that says "This passenger knows how onboard wifi works - do what he says in relation to wifi"
Mar 19, 2018, 11:39 am
#880
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 112
Hi everyone,
I'm on AC 5 next Thursday (29 March), a 77W from YYZ-HND. What are the chances my flight will offer the 2Ku wi-fi? I'm getting some conflicting information (some people here are suggesting all the 77W's now have it, and Air Canada's maybe/maybe not up-to-date flight tool seems to suggest that only the 777-200LR's have it).
Thanks so much!
Daniel
I'm on AC 5 next Thursday (29 March), a 77W from YYZ-HND. What are the chances my flight will offer the 2Ku wi-fi? I'm getting some conflicting information (some people here are suggesting all the 77W's now have it, and Air Canada's maybe/maybe not up-to-date flight tool seems to suggest that only the 777-200LR's have it).
Thanks so much!
Daniel
Mar 19, 2018, 12:07 pm
#881
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Hi everyone,
I'm on AC 5 next Thursday (29 March), a 77W from YYZ-HND. What are the chances my flight will offer the 2Ku wi-fi? I'm getting some conflicting information (some people here are suggesting all the 77W's now have it, and Air Canada's maybe/maybe not up-to-date flight tool seems to suggest that only the 777-200LR's have it).
Thanks so much!
Daniel
I'm on AC 5 next Thursday (29 March), a 77W from YYZ-HND. What are the chances my flight will offer the 2Ku wi-fi? I'm getting some conflicting information (some people here are suggesting all the 77W's now have it, and Air Canada's maybe/maybe not up-to-date flight tool seems to suggest that only the 777-200LR's have it).
Thanks so much!
Daniel
I don't guess on things like this, your chances or mine.
I recently flew Fin 742. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 738. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 745. 777-300ER 28J across the Pacific. There was no wifi. I did not ask the SD if it wasn't installed or just not working.
Mar 19, 2018, 3:06 pm
#882
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 112
I don't guess on things like this, your chances or mine.
I recently flew Fin 742. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 738. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 745. 777-300ER 28J across the Pacific. There was no wifi. I did not ask the SD if it wasn't installed or just not working.
I recently flew Fin 742. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 738. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 745. 777-300ER 28J across the Pacific. There was no wifi. I did not ask the SD if it wasn't installed or just not working.
Mar 19, 2018, 3:29 pm
#883
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,331
I don't guess on things like this, your chances or mine.
I recently flew Fin 742. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 738. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 745. 777-300ER 28J across the Pacific. There was no wifi. I did not ask the SD if it wasn't installed or just not working.
I recently flew Fin 742. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 738. 777-300ER 40J. It had working wifi across the Pacific.
I recently flew Fin 745. 777-300ER 28J across the Pacific. There was no wifi. I did not ask the SD if it wasn't installed or just not working.
Mar 19, 2018, 3:35 pm
#884
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
Perhaps I should have asked for research purposes, maybe even for this thread. But I wasn't overly impressed with the SD on this flight (some events in the cabin), I was tired, I skipped dinner and I just wanted to sleep, so I didn't care to inquire. But now someone here knows the Fin I was on and they can figure it out.