American Airlines wifi - have to pay for 2 different wifi providers for 1 itinerary
Apr 3, 2018, 12:08 pm
#16
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,031
It has nothing to do with American. GoGo is Air to Ground, and Hawaii is overwater - GoGo won't work. If you're on a widebody or a 757 PHX-Hawaii which has wifi, they have to use Satellite based service, which is Panasonic. That simple. And the same situation on United and Delta these days; until the entire industry converts to Satellite based, that's the way it is (BTW, that is in the works, but will take a couple of years).
Apr 3, 2018, 12:09 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: CID/ORD
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 66
Came here to say the same. Seems like the OP is unfamiliar with land vs satellite based in-flight wifi services. Most widebody aircraft that are regularly scheduled to cross oceans will be equipped with a satellite provider. For regular narrow body domestic, it'll be a land based provider.
And if we're going to be nit picky, you can look at the GoGo service coverage map before purchasing. It definitely doesn't show hawaii as covered. You're not buying wifi from AA, you're buying it from gogo.
How did this come about? Southwest has the advantage of pretty much exclusively having a uniform fleet of 737s. Easier for them to develop their own system. However most airlines have opted to contract out wifi services, rather than develop their own proprietary system. AA is not unique in this. gogo land based is cheaper, so that gets put on the narrowbodies. More expensive satellite based goes into primarily the widebodies and any other aircraft regularly scheduled for trans-oceanic.
This will be something to always keep in mind for connecting trans-oceanic flights. Unless a total transition to satellite based comes about.
And if we're going to be nit picky, you can look at the GoGo service coverage map before purchasing. It definitely doesn't show hawaii as covered. You're not buying wifi from AA, you're buying it from gogo.
How did this come about? Southwest has the advantage of pretty much exclusively having a uniform fleet of 737s. Easier for them to develop their own system. However most airlines have opted to contract out wifi services, rather than develop their own proprietary system. AA is not unique in this. gogo land based is cheaper, so that gets put on the narrowbodies. More expensive satellite based goes into primarily the widebodies and any other aircraft regularly scheduled for trans-oceanic.
This will be something to always keep in mind for connecting trans-oceanic flights. Unless a total transition to satellite based comes about.
Apr 3, 2018, 12:09 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.
Posts: 2,035
It has nothing to do with American. GoGo is Air to Ground, and Hawaii is overwater - GoGo won't work. If you're on a widebody or a 757 PHX-Hawaii which has wifi, they have to use Satellite based service, which is Panasonic. That simple. And the same situation on United and Delta these days; until the entire industry converts to Satellite based, that's the way it is (BTW, that is in the works, but will take a couple of years).
Apr 3, 2018, 12:11 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,277
It has nothing to do with American. GoGo is Air to Ground, and Hawaii is overwater - GoGo won't work. If you're on a widebody or a 757 PHX-Hawaii which has wifi, they have to use Satellite based service, which is Panasonic. That simple. And the same situation on United and Delta these days; until the entire industry converts to Satellite based, that's the way it is (BTW, that is in the works, but will take a couple of years).
Last edited by Lux Flyer; Apr 3, 2018 at 12:17 pm Reason: Coverage map
Apr 3, 2018, 12:54 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: IAD / DCA
Programs: AA EP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, United Silver, Bonvoy Titanium.
Posts: 158
It's moments like this where I REALLY miss that one month US Mobile had the all you can eat monthly pass for like $25. I'd easily pay $50 for something that worked across airlines and across different types. It was perhaps the single greatest thing ever offered (and FAR too good to be true!).
Apr 3, 2018, 1:20 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: A few here and there
Posts: 207
My two cents. (I'm a monthly holder) but, I would be really upset if I bought a pass on American Airlines for a full day pass and on my connecting flight I was told I would have to pay again because it is a different provider. Service is provided by AA (Even if subcontracted to a vendor like Gogo). I have a feeling this is going to become a bigger issue as more planes get converted.
Apr 3, 2018, 1:55 pm
#22
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Join Date: Jul 2003
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It shouldn't be that difficult for AA to set up an arrangement for pax to buy WIFI day passes from AA (directly) and then direct the payments to the wifi/satellite providers.
For pax that have GOGO accts (or those that get 10 GOGO/per year via AMEX) special adjustments would be made.
PS: an AC day pass is good at all clubs for a day, I don't pay DFW a separate fee and another in ORD.
For pax that have GOGO accts (or those that get 10 GOGO/per year via AMEX) special adjustments would be made.
PS: an AC day pass is good at all clubs for a day, I don't pay DFW a separate fee and another in ORD.
Apr 3, 2018, 2:20 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New York, NY
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Apr 3, 2018, 2:44 pm
#25
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Apr 3, 2018, 3:01 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
I've recently purchased GoGo for a TATL flight on Virgin Atlantic..so it definitely works over water. OP is right that AA ought to provide a seamless experience here. Airlines like to brag about how wifi can replace classic IFE, but they need to make the whole customer experience much better for that to work.
Apr 3, 2018, 4:14 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Apr 3, 2018, 4:20 pm
#28
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That has nothing to do with Air to Ground wifi. That is done by an on-board server which works everywhere. AS has that on their Hawaii flights where GoGo does not have service.
Then switch to Verizon.
Apr 3, 2018, 5:56 pm
#30
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