American adding faster ViaSat WiFi to 500+ Aircraft
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
The 787-8 also uses Panasonic.
If it's LAA with ViaSat and Panasonic and LUS with Gogo, I'm assuming the breakdown will look something like this in a few years:
• E190: Gogo
• LAA A319: ViaSat
• LUS A319: Gogo
• MD-80: Gogo (assuming no retrofit for these aircraft)
• A320: Gogo
• 737: ViaSat
• LAA A321T & A321S: ViaSat
• LUS A321: Gogo
• LAA 757 International: ?
• LUS 757 MCE retrofit: ?
• 767 retrofit: Panasonic
• 787-8 & 787-9: Panasonic
• A330-200 & A330-300: ?
• 777-200 & 777-300: Panasonic
Agreed that having 3 different Wi-Fi providers to worry about is going to be a huge inconsistent inconvenience.
Has AA announced pricing for the ViaSat Wi-Fi yet?
If it's LAA with ViaSat and Panasonic and LUS with Gogo, I'm assuming the breakdown will look something like this in a few years:
• E190: Gogo
• LAA A319: ViaSat
• LUS A319: Gogo
• MD-80: Gogo (assuming no retrofit for these aircraft)
• A320: Gogo
• 737: ViaSat
• LAA A321T & A321S: ViaSat
• LUS A321: Gogo
• LAA 757 International: ?
• LUS 757 MCE retrofit: ?
• 767 retrofit: Panasonic
• 787-8 & 787-9: Panasonic
• A330-200 & A330-300: ?
• 777-200 & 777-300: Panasonic
Agreed that having 3 different Wi-Fi providers to worry about is going to be a huge inconsistent inconvenience.
Has AA announced pricing for the ViaSat Wi-Fi yet?
#17
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Just flew a TATL A330-200. Was pleasantly surprised to find wifi available. Was less pleased to see that it was Panasonic, not Gogo, since I have Amex Bus Plat Gogo certificates. Oh, well ... On long day-time flight back, $19 seems like a reasonable price. Will see how it works.
#18
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
I know the 737MAX were coming with new satellite WiFi, but this week I was on a pmAA 738 with AVOD and noticed a new hump on the back of the top side of the plane. Didn't think anything of it until I tried using the WiFi and it wasn't Gogo! It was from Via Sat and was FREE......internet, e-mail etc (not just the entertainment). See screenshots below......so is this rolling out to all pmAA 738's? I thought only the 737MAX was getting free WiFi and only during the rollout......would love more insight if anyone knows. Is AA dumping Gogo altogether? We now have Gogo, Panasonic, Via Sat (and I think even T-Mobile?) across the AA fleet.
#19
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA- EXP UA - Silver SPG- PLT Marriott- PLT
Posts: 759
Flew a 737 on Monday (newer with personal tvs) that had ViaSat. Was great - gate to gate fast internet. And it was free!
Does anyone know how quickly they are retrofitting the old 737s with ViaSat? Really makes a difference if you want to stay connected.
Does anyone know how quickly they are retrofitting the old 737s with ViaSat? Really makes a difference if you want to stay connected.
#20
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Have they announced pricing, its kinda dissapointing if I can't use my monthly gogo pass.
#21
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
I posted in the AVOD 738 LAA thread about the same......it was free and and not on the 737MAX. Screenshots shown too......maybe my posts should be merged with this thread instead.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
I had a flight on a 757 last week that was equipped with a similarly named network but it was the Panasonic system and I hit a paywall.
#23
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Niwot, CO
Programs: AA XP, BA G, AS 100K, Hyatt G
Posts: 146
Flew on a 737 LAX-DEN 2/3 and Viasat along with complimentary, I assume for the moment, wifi was offered. Connection was noticeably faster than GoGo as I was able to send images rather quickly. Also I think connection was still available below 10000ft during landing.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Indeed, was the case on my flight too. I hadn't even tried to connect during takeoff but during the descent I had Flightradar24 app up and was expecting it to drop out at 10,000ft but it never did.
#25
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
A good way to tell if your 738 has ViaSat is to look for the bubble towards the back on the top side of the plane. People on my LAA 738 today kept complaining about not being able to get on the Gogo WiFi.
#27
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Phoenix/Columbus
Programs: Delta Silver Medallion, United Gold, US Airways silver
Posts: 1,717
The 787-8 also uses Panasonic.
If it's LAA with ViaSat and Panasonic and LUS with Gogo, I'm assuming the breakdown will look something like this in a few years:
• E190: Gogo
• LAA A319: ViaSat
• LUS A319: Gogo
• MD-80: Gogo (assuming no retrofit for these aircraft)
• A320: Gogo
• 737: ViaSat
• LAA A321T & A321S: ViaSat
• LUS A321: Gogo
• LAA 757 International: ?
• LUS 757 MCE retrofit: ?
• 767 retrofit: Panasonic
• 787-8 & 787-9: Panasonic
• A330-200 & A330-300: ?
• 777-200 & 777-300: Panasonic
Agreed that having 3 different Wi-Fi providers to worry about is going to be a huge inconsistent inconvenience.
Has AA announced pricing for the ViaSat Wi-Fi yet?
If it's LAA with ViaSat and Panasonic and LUS with Gogo, I'm assuming the breakdown will look something like this in a few years:
• E190: Gogo
• LAA A319: ViaSat
• LUS A319: Gogo
• MD-80: Gogo (assuming no retrofit for these aircraft)
• A320: Gogo
• 737: ViaSat
• LAA A321T & A321S: ViaSat
• LUS A321: Gogo
• LAA 757 International: ?
• LUS 757 MCE retrofit: ?
• 767 retrofit: Panasonic
• 787-8 & 787-9: Panasonic
• A330-200 & A330-300: ?
• 777-200 & 777-300: Panasonic
Agreed that having 3 different Wi-Fi providers to worry about is going to be a huge inconsistent inconvenience.
Has AA announced pricing for the ViaSat Wi-Fi yet?
#30
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 3,850