Highlife Connect (Inflight Wi-Fi)
Dec 1, 16, 9:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 841
Highlife Connect (Inflight Wi-Fi)
British Airways is introducing Wi–Fi – called Highlife Connect – on over 200 of its longhaul and shorthaul aircraft, allowing customers to stay connected while in the air.
The first of the airline's longhaul aircraft, a Boeing 747 G–CIVV, will be in service from February 2017 and the first shorthaul aircraft, an Airbus A321 G–EUXJ will be in the air by the summer of 2017. By 2019, over 90 per cent of the airline's fleet will be Wi–Fi enabled.
The new onboard feature will provide customers with two paid–for Wi–Fi packages, called Simply Connect and Connect Plus, allowing them to either browse or stream content from the internet.
The first aircraft, a Boeing 747, began its installation last week in Cardiff.
The first of the airline's longhaul aircraft, a Boeing 747 G–CIVV, will be in service from February 2017 and the first shorthaul aircraft, an Airbus A321 G–EUXJ will be in the air by the summer of 2017. By 2019, over 90 per cent of the airline's fleet will be Wi–Fi enabled.
The new onboard feature will provide customers with two paid–for Wi–Fi packages, called Simply Connect and Connect Plus, allowing them to either browse or stream content from the internet.
The first aircraft, a Boeing 747, began its installation last week in Cardiff.
Dec 1, 16, 9:10 am
#2
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 8,223
Free for Lifetime Gold members I hope 
Dec 1, 16, 9:11 am
#3
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/DOH
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL/CCR, QR Insider, SQ Gold, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 7,183
Thanks for the info TCX69
Do you have any spec info on the WiFi being offered by BA?
M
Do you have any spec info on the WiFi being offered by BA?
M
Dec 1, 16, 11:54 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Herts, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,806
Thanks for the info, Will be interested to see fare structure for this?
Would be really nice if this was free to status pax, and IMO would make up for the negative changes of late
Would be really nice if this was free to status pax, and IMO would make up for the negative changes of late
Dec 1, 16, 12:17 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 11,848
Some interesting pictures on Yammer of them doing the install at CWL... I would screen shot them for you, but I don't have access any more...
Dec 1, 16, 12:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,433
Originally Posted by stewaran
Would be really nice if this was free to status pax, and IMO would make up for the negative changes of late
Dec 1, 16, 12:38 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA
Posts: 8,961
But as BA wants to be as similar to Norwegian as they can... surely the solution is to make it free for everyone?
Dec 1, 16, 12:59 pm
#8
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/DOH
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL/CCR, QR Insider, SQ Gold, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 7,183
WiFi on QR is free solely for those in F.
On EK, there is a nominal charge of $1 for all passengers who want to use the service over and above the free 10MB available to all passengers.
I presume BA will give a free allowance, followed by a charging model.
By not offering it for free, it means the airlines don't need to worry about being asked for compensation if the service isn't working properly etc.
M
On EK, there is a nominal charge of $1 for all passengers who want to use the service over and above the free 10MB available to all passengers.
I presume BA will give a free allowance, followed by a charging model.
By not offering it for free, it means the airlines don't need to worry about being asked for compensation if the service isn't working properly etc.
M
Dec 1, 16, 3:12 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 413
Wifi is one thing i don't object to paying for. It is something that is fundamentally a luxury on a plane, unlike a bottle of water!
Dec 2, 16, 2:53 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA EP 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 5,070
Originally Posted by msm2000uk
By not offering it for free, it means the airlines don't need to worry about being asked for compensation if the service isn't working properly etc.
M
M
Dec 2, 16, 3:22 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 37
Originally Posted by flatlander
Trust me, when I've paid for it and it doesn't work, I will be complaining and requesting compensation or refund.
If however, it's a paid for "extra", then they can simply declare it unavailable for purchase if it's not working. I mean, what are the chances of BA fitting a cheap unreliable system do we think...
Dec 2, 16, 4:06 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 95
Originally Posted by Lounge Squatter
Yes, but if it comes free and doesn't work then EVERYBODY on the plane will have a case to complain and seek compensation.
.
Dec 2, 16, 4:18 am
#13
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/DOH
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL/CCR, QR Insider, SQ Gold, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 7,183
Originally Posted by flatlander
Trust me, when I've paid for it and it doesn't work, I will be complaining and requesting compensation or refund.
However, if BA were to offer WiFi for free to all F passengers as part of the ticket, and the system has a tech problem, how much should BA offer by way of compensation to those who complain?
If you have paid a fee to use the WiFi, then BA can simply refund that.
However, most tech problems with inflight WiFi, prevent the system from being used full stop. So as there's no way to bypass the sign in screen, you simply can't use it.
M
Dec 2, 16, 7:11 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 4,634
No in-seat power for devices means this won't be nearly as useful as it should be.
Dec 2, 16, 7:38 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1A when possible
Programs: SK EBD/baEC G/MR PP/A3 *G/AA G/CC G/HH G/IHG Spire
Posts: 3,662
Originally Posted by Dave_C
No in-seat power for devices means this won't be nearly as useful as it should be.
