D582

No its more like why should AC install hardware on its fleet for Wi-Fi when there is no guarantee of when or if the supporting network will be available for flights within Canada. I've used it a few times in the past on the 2 AC 319s that have it. Although they did a lot of YYZ/YUL to California flights, they showed up on other routes as well.

hearna

Maybe it would help to have a registry of registrations to see where these A/C are flying?

Today's AC107 was flow by http://www.flightradar24.com/reg/cgbik

Anyone know how to match FIN with Registry?

okazon69

http://www.aircanada.com/en/about/fleet/fin.html

hearna

So with the above info; seems like 107 was the YUL-LAX/SFO Plane;

2 Current Aircraft Equipped with Wifi

TheGreatestX

So if WestJet had not announced this a few months ago would Air Canada still have?

Same thing happened with seatback TVs, and now streaming to devices.

CanuckFlyer

I believe this was the aircraft used for the YYZ-YEG flight I just took (AC 157 on April 9).

Wi-fi was available but a bit unreliable. (Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that it's available. Not complaining, just describing.) It was fine for occasional emails/surfing, but there's no way it could be used for streaming video. I didn't try it for a skype voice call (and sincerely hope no one ever uses skype on an airplane!), but I suspect it wouldn't work well for that purpose.

The signal began after we hit cruising altitude, and it suddenly ended when we were descending. I thought it would be nice if they gave folks a few minutes' warning before shutting wifi off. One could wrap up their work and perhaps warn loved ones that the upcoming communication breakdown wasn't due to an emergency on the plane!

Overall I'm glad there is wi-fi available, I'm glad it's free for the time being thanks to Amex, and I'm glad that it looks like the signal won't support annoying voice calls. (Though once people have to pay for the connection, the load will surely be lower, which will improve the bandwidth for the remaining users.)

Diabeetus

+1. The Gogo system on US seemed to have enough bandwidth for people to stream youtube (though not sure at what resolution), so hopefully that'll be the case with AC.

CanuckFlyer

Oh, forgot to mention. I was able to have instant back & forth text communications on an iPhone using the wi-fi signal (because it sends texts as data when the phone is on airplane mode with wi-fi enabled).

And there were a few periods during the flight when the connection didn't seem to work, but they tended to be short-lived.

winnipegrev

Would WestJet have announced wifi if AC hadn't shows interest from 2009? Would WS have announced streaming if Rouge hadn't implemented it first? Would WS be adding power/USB if AC hadn't had it already?

We could go in circles. Why does it matter?

YEGcg

When I'm on the ground, I carry a USB Internet stick (monthly plan), can tether my phones data to other devices, and keep a pay as you go data device on hand (on a different network, in case my preferred network is unavailable).

The one time I could truly disconnect was at 35,000 ft.

Boo

airbus320

Let the cries for compensation begin.

kwflyer

According to twitter, the wifi will only be available to SE's on a Lat fare

canadiancow

You joke, but that would actually work out really well for me

ac777

Hey AC--how about making this complimentary for SEMM and higher?

maradori

Hope not, or else this time I will be the one starting an outrage thread similar to the preferred seats issue

I spent over 10K etc etc Super Elite etc etc we should all join together and flood AC with complaint letters etc etc

Unless you mean make it complimentary to the FT member "SEMM" and anyone who has higher post count than him/her