Oct 1, 2017, 1:57 am
Last edit by: sigma421
Onboard WiFi has been introduced to BA's fleet and is being marketed as Highlife Connect. This thread is to track the rollout. See https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb.../wifi-on-board for BA's FAQ on the system.
Long-haul aircraft with WiFi fitted
A350-1000 - All fitted (12 aircraft).
A380 - All fitted (12 aircraft)
777-200ER - All fitted (43 aircraft)
777-300ER - All fitted (16 aircraft)
787-8 - 0/12 aircraft
787-9 - 14/18 aircraft
G-ZBKA, G-ZBKB, G-ZBKC, G-ZBKD, G-ZBKG, G-ZBKH, G-ZBKI, G-ZBKJ, G-ZBKK, G-ZBKL, G-ZBKM, G-ZBKN, G-ZBKO, G-ZBKP
787-10 - All fitted (2 aircraft).
BA are currently trialling free WiFi in first class cabins. For those in other cabins the current cost on all long-haul aircraft is:
Note that prices and services offered are subject to change.
787-8 - G-ZBJA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/M
787-9 - G-ZBKE/F/R/S
The majority of aircraft have wi-fi equipment fitted with the exception of those expected to retire within the next few years. Wi-fi equipment is installed after delivery and the rate at which this happens appears to have slowed down post-COVID.
A319 - 12/29 Aircraft
G-EUOA
G-EUPL/M/N/O/P/R/S/T/U/Y/Z
A320 - 61/67 Aircraft
G-EUUA/B/C/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/R/T/U/V/W/X/Y/Z
G-EUYA/B/D/E/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/R/S/T/U/V/W/X
G-GATH/J/K/M/N/P/R/S/U
G-MEDK
G-MIDO/S/T/X/Y
G-TTOB/E
A320neo - 17/20 Aircraft
G-TTNA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/Q/R
Wi-fi installation has not yet occurred for aircraft delivered from October 2022 onwards.
A321 - 15/18 Aircraft
G-EUXC/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M
G-MEDL/M/N
A321neo - All fitted (10 aircraft)
The price of WiFi on short-haul flights varies according to the length of the route. The following prices are known:
Messaging - £1.99 or £2.99 depending on flight distance.
Browse & Stream (one hour) - £4.99
Browse & Stream (whole flight)
£4.99 (MAN / NCL)
£6.99 (ARN / HAM)
£7.99 (KRK / LIS / MAS / PMI)
£8.99 (AGP)
£9.99 (LED / SOF)
£11.99 (LCA)
Short-haul aircraft not planned to receive WiFi due to retirement
A319 - 18 Aircraft
G-EUOE/F/G
G-EUPD/G/J/K/W
G-DBCA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/J/K
Background information:
Long-haul aircraft with WiFi fitted
A350-1000 - All fitted (12 aircraft).
A380 - All fitted (12 aircraft)
777-200ER - All fitted (43 aircraft)
777-300ER - All fitted (16 aircraft)
787-8 - 0/12 aircraft
787-9 - 14/18 aircraft
G-ZBKA, G-ZBKB, G-ZBKC, G-ZBKD, G-ZBKG, G-ZBKH, G-ZBKI, G-ZBKJ, G-ZBKK, G-ZBKL, G-ZBKM, G-ZBKN, G-ZBKO, G-ZBKP
787-10 - All fitted (2 aircraft).
BA are currently trialling free WiFi in first class cabins. For those in other cabins the current cost on all long-haul aircraft is:
- 1 hour: £7.99
- 4 hours: £17.99
- Full flight: up to £23.99 depending on route
Note that prices and services offered are subject to change.
Long-haul aircraft still to be fitted with WiFi
787-8 - G-ZBJA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/M
787-9 - G-ZBKE/F/R/S
Short-haul and mid-haul aircraft known to have WiFi fitted and enabled
The majority of aircraft have wi-fi equipment fitted with the exception of those expected to retire within the next few years. Wi-fi equipment is installed after delivery and the rate at which this happens appears to have slowed down post-COVID.
A319 - 12/29 Aircraft
G-EUOA
G-EUPL/M/N/O/P/R/S/T/U/Y/Z
A320 - 61/67 Aircraft
G-EUUA/B/C/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/R/T/U/V/W/X/Y/Z
G-EUYA/B/D/E/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/R/S/T/U/V/W/X
G-GATH/J/K/M/N/P/R/S/U
G-MEDK
G-MIDO/S/T/X/Y
G-TTOB/E
A320neo - 17/20 Aircraft
G-TTNA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/Q/R
Wi-fi installation has not yet occurred for aircraft delivered from October 2022 onwards.
A321 - 15/18 Aircraft
G-EUXC/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M
G-MEDL/M/N
A321neo - All fitted (10 aircraft)
The price of WiFi on short-haul flights varies according to the length of the route. The following prices are known:
Messaging - £1.99 or £2.99 depending on flight distance.
Browse & Stream (one hour) - £4.99
Browse & Stream (whole flight)
£4.99 (MAN / NCL)
£6.99 (ARN / HAM)
£7.99 (KRK / LIS / MAS / PMI)
£8.99 (AGP)
£9.99 (LED / SOF)
£11.99 (LCA)
Short-haul aircraft not planned to receive WiFi due to retirement
A319 - 18 Aircraft
G-EUOE/F/G
G-EUPD/G/J/K/W
G-DBCA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/J/K
Background information:
FAQ : Status of on-board WiFi rollout on BA aircraft
Jul 16, 2019, 2:56 am
#601
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 726
The engineers at Cardiff will be dab hands at this process now so should be able to get fast turnaround times. It doesn't look like much else was done to YMMI but then it was in CWL for maintenance in February so this could have just been a WiFi fitting visit.
Jul 26, 2019, 3:12 am
#602
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Platinum; Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 788
So G-YMMI actually had another, much longer stint in Cardiff, but is apparently due to be back today to operate LHR-BOM. While any feedback from anyone who ends up on it will be nice, this should hopefully mean all the YMM* fleet has been fitted.
Jul 28, 2019, 1:41 pm
#603
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 726
YMMI has definitely been fitted. I think it was this thread where I linked to Ian Grinter's photos on Twitter regarding the 787s. Well, he's done it again by photographing YMMI leaving Cardiff earlier today in such a way that we can see the wifi hump.
I don't know if it was fitted on this visit or the previous one as he didn't photograph it when it left CWL last time but it's there now.
In other news, we now have the A350s coming in which are the first aircraft to join the fleet with wifi factory fitted. I'm wondering if there's any noticeable difference between the Panasonic system they're apparently using and the Gogo system on the other longhaul aircraft. I await reviews in the coming months...
I don't know if it was fitted on this visit or the previous one as he didn't photograph it when it left CWL last time but it's there now.
In other news, we now have the A350s coming in which are the first aircraft to join the fleet with wifi factory fitted. I'm wondering if there's any noticeable difference between the Panasonic system they're apparently using and the Gogo system on the other longhaul aircraft. I await reviews in the coming months...
Jul 30, 2019, 8:56 am
#604
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 30
In other news, we now have the A350s coming in which are the first aircraft to join the fleet with wifi factory fitted. I'm wondering if there's any noticeable difference between the Panasonic system they're apparently using and the Gogo system on the other longhaul aircraft. I await reviews in the coming months...
Jul 30, 2019, 9:17 am
#605
Join Date: May 2016
Location: EDI
Programs: Was BA GGL but no longer travelling
Posts: 583
It's certainly true that not all Wifi is equal. When I fly EDI > DOH > BLR on QR, wifi on the EDI to DOH (shiny new A350) is significantly worse than the wifi on the DOH > BLR section on a 772. Different provider, and the DOH to BLR wifi is really very good.
Not sure which providers BA use.
Not sure which providers BA use.
Jul 30, 2019, 10:52 am
#606
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
rb211.
Jul 30, 2019, 11:29 am
#607
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 726
Google reveals Panasonic updated their wifi in 2018 - they're now on what they call 'Gen 3'. Their original system was 'Gen 1'. There doesn't appear to have been a Gen 2 but an article on Runway Girl Network says it took them nine years to fit the original system on 2,000+ aircraft and those aircraft are now having the newer system installed.
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2019/0...-choke-points/
Reminds me of WW saying the reason BA waited to install wifi was so that they could go straight to a decent streaming service rather than fitting something inferior then having to refit all the aircraft again a few years later. He was right!
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2019/0...-choke-points/
Reminds me of WW saying the reason BA waited to install wifi was so that they could go straight to a decent streaming service rather than fitting something inferior then having to refit all the aircraft again a few years later. He was right!
Jul 30, 2019, 11:53 am
#608
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 726
It's certainly true that not all Wifi is equal. When I fly EDI > DOH > BLR on QR, wifi on the EDI to DOH (shiny new A350) is significantly worse than the wifi on the DOH > BLR section on a 772. Different provider, and the DOH to BLR wifi is really very good.
Not sure which providers BA use.
Not sure which providers BA use.
I'm now wondering which system BA are going to have on their 787-10s which start arriving at the beginning of 2020.
Jul 30, 2019, 12:39 pm
#609
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 30
Qatar 777s and newer A350s have speedy Gx, on par with 2Ku. Older A350s and 787s have awful L-band Wi-Fi, which is generally useless.
The system installed on the BA 350 is almost certainly the newest generation Panasonic Ku system, which just won't be great. You won't get streaming class performance for an aircraft of that size if more than a few people are using it. It's the same service you find on the AA UA longhaul fleets, and many other airlines.
The system installed on the BA 350 is almost certainly the newest generation Panasonic Ku system, which just won't be great. You won't get streaming class performance for an aircraft of that size if more than a few people are using it. It's the same service you find on the AA UA longhaul fleets, and many other airlines.
Aug 5, 2019, 10:14 am
#610
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 726
XLED is departing Manila a couple of weeks earlier than originally scheduled but it went in a couple of weeks early. This means that at the moment there are no aircraft undergoing wifi retrofit for the first time in ages unless XLEE goes to Manila early.
Aug 8, 2019, 10:59 pm
#611
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Buckinghamshire
Programs: BAEC Gold Guest List, Hilton Honours Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 2,303
Paid £4.99 for it on the rtn A350 flight from Madrid two days ago. I did one tweet and it gave up. Crew said there wasn't anything they could do. Mystified. Advised me to contact BA claims and complaints when I got home. It's frustrating how the webpage - when you're logged in - doesn't tell you your status - how much data you have left.
Aug 12, 2019, 8:34 am
#612
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold, ALL Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 212
A quick scan of this thread doesn't show many reports of successful connection on shorthaul. CC yesterday said it failed on 95% of his flights—which may have been slightly hyperbolic, but still isn't reassuring. Has anyone had better luck?
Aug 12, 2019, 9:06 am
#613
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,844
Paid £4.99 for it on the rtn A350 flight from Madrid two days ago. I did one tweet and it gave up. Crew said there wasn't anything they could do. Mystified. Advised me to contact BA claims and complaints when I got home. It's frustrating how the webpage - when you're logged in - doesn't tell you your status - how much data you have left.
From what I can make out, BA does refund wifi claims, or rather IAG Connect. Their Heathrow address is:
Customer Relations, IAG Connect, Waterside (HAA2), PO Box 365, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, UB7 0GB, UK.
I was able to get the A350 to work quite well on Tuesday, and posted on FT 7 times during the flight (in the main A350 review thread). The 25mb slipped down to about 3 mb towards landing, and then as we descended towards 10,000 feet it switched to "<1 minute left".
Aug 16, 2019, 8:08 am
#614
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 726
You can also apply for a refund online. https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...celled-flights has a link for Wi-Fi refunds.
Aug 19, 2019, 2:39 pm
#615
Join Date: May 2016
Location: EDI
Programs: Was BA GGL but no longer travelling
Posts: 583
I'm on BA293 TATL somewhere below Greenland, and wifi is shockingly bad, even on Premium. I think BA needs to up their game. I know it is satellite, but I frequently fly QR EDI > DOH > BLR and most of the DOH > BLR leg is also across water and wifi is fantastic, so it is possible. I'm not going to attempt to reclaim my £17.99, but I am very disappointed with it.