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)
Jan 6, 2018, 5:53 pm
#856
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,706
Ya, I've been trying to teach Jayson how in-flight Wi-Fi works for awhile now.... he doesn't listen.
Jan 8, 2018, 2:39 am
#857
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: YYT
Programs: AC E35k, HHonors Silver
Posts: 743
I was on FIN 742 yesterday (AC31 YYZ-PEK) and noticed Wi-Fi equipment near door L1.
I was able to connect to the Gogo portal (gogoinflight) but could not access the internet at all. Of course, most of AC31 is outside of the coverage area but I'm not sure if AC intends to wait until all FINs are equipped or they plan to do a gradual rollout.
Anyway, one thing the Gogo portal showed is the coverage map which I thought was worth posting here. Interesting that China, India and Australia are completely excluded.
I was able to connect to the Gogo portal (gogoinflight) but could not access the internet at all. Of course, most of AC31 is outside of the coverage area but I'm not sure if AC intends to wait until all FINs are equipped or they plan to do a gradual rollout.
Anyway, one thing the Gogo portal showed is the coverage map which I thought was worth posting here. Interesting that China, India and Australia are completely excluded.
Jan 8, 2018, 10:08 am
#858
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,767
Jan 8, 2018, 11:05 am
#859
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
Jan 17, 2018, 9:53 am
#860
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC 100K SE (*G), Marriott P, SPG G, Hilton D
Posts: 611
I'm on a rouge 767 this week, unfortunately it's showing no WiFi 
There's now a tool to search if your flight will have wi-fi for flights departing within 5 days:
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...ard/wi-fi.html
EDIT: Nevermind, the tool is based off of old information. For example, all the 77W (28J) all have wi-fi, but the tool is showing no wi-fi for a bunch of flights that are 77W (28J) equipment. I wish they would just publish a list of which FINs have it.
There's now a tool to search if your flight will have wi-fi for flights departing within 5 days:
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...ard/wi-fi.html
EDIT: Nevermind, the tool is based off of old information. For example, all the 77W (28J) all have wi-fi, but the tool is showing no wi-fi for a bunch of flights that are 77W (28J) equipment. I wish they would just publish a list of which FINs have it.
Jan 17, 2018, 11:33 am
#861
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,767
There's now a tool to search if your flight will have wi-fi for flights departing within 5 days:
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...ard/wi-fi.html
EDIT: Nevermind, the tool is based off of old information. For example, all the 77W (28J) all have wi-fi, but the tool is showing no wi-fi for a bunch of flights that are 77W (28J) equipment. I wish they would just publish a list of which FINs have it.
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...ard/wi-fi.html
EDIT: Nevermind, the tool is based off of old information. For example, all the 77W (28J) all have wi-fi, but the tool is showing no wi-fi for a bunch of flights that are 77W (28J) equipment. I wish they would just publish a list of which FINs have it.
WiFi working not too badly this morning. Not the best I've seen, but better than a lot of my experiences in the past few months.
Jan 20, 2018, 11:28 am
#862
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: 44,324
Has anyone been able to maintain an SSH connection on the ground-based Gogo?
I keep getting "Connection to xx.xx.xx.xx port 22: Broken pipe" after a few minutes.
I keep getting "Connection to xx.xx.xx.xx port 22: Broken pipe" after a few minutes.
Feb 4, 2018, 2:23 pm
#863
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*SEMM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 62
Comments:
1. If the plane supports Wi-Fi, there will be a Wi-Fi logo on the right-hand side wall as your enter the plane from the jet bridge.
2. The SSID is "ACWiFi", which should be the only network available at 35,000 feet. Bandwidth was pretty good, with only a slight lag... although I was one of the only people using it. $10 for a 13.5 hour flight is a decent deal. We'll see how long they keep the promotional pricing.
3. While my Apple iPhone/iPad Safari browser had no trouble redirecting to the GoGo landing page, my Win7 laptop Chrome browser would not redirect from either an HTTP or HTTPS address. Manually typing in the whitelisted URL "www.gogoair.com" in the browser seemed to redirect it correctly.
4. If you log onto a second device with your GoGo account while in flight, the internet connection with switch to your second device.
5. Interestingly, you can still do Google searches outside of the paywall. However, clicking on any of the search results (or any other URL for that matter) won't work until you actually log in and pay.
Feb 5, 2018, 3:35 pm
#864
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan 75K | Latitude Flight Pass junkie
Posts: 1,548
The AC wifi checker seems to be updated now. It shows several 772s with Wifi now.
Feb 5, 2018, 3:47 pm
#865
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: 44,324
Feb 5, 2018, 4:13 pm
#866
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Bonvoy LTE
Posts: 1,881
Surprising. On my recent YVR - LHR, slow internet was priced at $28.95. Fast internet, supposedly suitable for streaming, was priced at $42.50. It was anything but fast, and definitely very laggy.
AC007 definitely had Wi-Fi, and over China as well. The new coverage map now shows coverage for most of the world. I'll see if I can grab that on the return flight.
Comments:
1. If the plane supports Wi-Fi, there will be a Wi-Fi logo on the right-hand side wall as your enter the plane from the jet bridge.
2. The SSID is "ACWiFi", which should be the only network available at 35,000 feet. Bandwidth was pretty good, with only a slight lag... although I was one of the only people using it. $10 for a 13.5 hour flight is a decent deal. We'll see how long they keep the promotional pricing.
3. While my Apple iPhone/iPad Safari browser had no trouble redirecting to the GoGo landing page, my Win7 laptop Chrome browser would not redirect from either an HTTP or HTTPS address. Manually typing in the whitelisted URL "www.gogoair.com" in the browser seemed to redirect it correctly.
4. If you log onto a second device with your GoGo account while in flight, the internet connection with switch to your second device.
5. Interestingly, you can still do Google searches outside of the paywall. However, clicking on any of the search results (or any other URL for that matter) won't work until you actually log in and pay.
Comments:
1. If the plane supports Wi-Fi, there will be a Wi-Fi logo on the right-hand side wall as your enter the plane from the jet bridge.
2. The SSID is "ACWiFi", which should be the only network available at 35,000 feet. Bandwidth was pretty good, with only a slight lag... although I was one of the only people using it. $10 for a 13.5 hour flight is a decent deal. We'll see how long they keep the promotional pricing.
3. While my Apple iPhone/iPad Safari browser had no trouble redirecting to the GoGo landing page, my Win7 laptop Chrome browser would not redirect from either an HTTP or HTTPS address. Manually typing in the whitelisted URL "www.gogoair.com" in the browser seemed to redirect it correctly.
4. If you log onto a second device with your GoGo account while in flight, the internet connection with switch to your second device.
5. Interestingly, you can still do Google searches outside of the paywall. However, clicking on any of the search results (or any other URL for that matter) won't work until you actually log in and pay.
Feb 5, 2018, 7:37 pm
#867
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,767
3. While my Apple iPhone/iPad Safari browser had no trouble redirecting to the GoGo landing page, my Win7 laptop Chrome browser would not redirect from either an HTTP or HTTPS address. Manually typing in the whitelisted URL "www.gogoair.com" in the browser seemed to redirect it correctly.
4. If you log onto a second device with your GoGo account while in flight, the internet connection with switch to your second device.
4. If you log onto a second device with your GoGo account while in flight, the internet connection with switch to your second device.
#4 is the same on the narrowbodies as well; you're only allowed one device at a time.
Feb 25, 2018, 2:10 am
#868
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SEMM, NEXUS
Posts: 858
Posting this live from AC62 ICN-YYZ, on fin 742 (40J 77W)
Special (introductory?) pricing of 10$CAD for the whole flight (instead of 28.50$) with a disclaimer that we might experience reduced coverage over the poles.
Special (introductory?) pricing of 10$CAD for the whole flight (instead of 28.50$) with a disclaimer that we might experience reduced coverage over the poles.
Feb 25, 2018, 8:29 am
#869
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, Bonvoy Gold, HHonors Diamond, VIA Premier, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 816
Had the same offer on a HKG-YYZ flight last week on a 77W. And WiFi was quite good too.
Feb 25, 2018, 12:29 pm
#870
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,200
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.