Oct 1, 2017, 1:57 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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:

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

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Feb 13, 2020, 4:14 am

#691

simfly

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: ABZ

Programs: BA Exec Silver

Posts: 7

Currently at 37,000 on G-NEOP (321N) and Wi-fi up and running. Also digital highlife via Wi-fi now being trialed (free of course)

Feb 13, 2020, 4:17 am

#692

ThatT1Feeling

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN

Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold

Posts: 5,903

Quote:

Originally Posted by simfly

Currently at 37,000 on G-NEOP (321N) and Wi-fi up and running. Also digital highlife via Wi-fi now being trialed (free of course)

I tried the digital hi-life for the first time yesterday on a very short domestic. It worked well on my phone but my goodness you need to use the contents dropdown to avoid all of those adverts!

Was also interested to see an option for £1.99 for messaging through Wifi (not browsing) - I assume imessage or Whatsapp - really sensible option

Feb 13, 2020, 5:02 am

#693

Schind

Join Date: Mar 2017

Posts: 726

Quote:

Originally Posted by lfc84

I'm on BA2664 next Saturday 15 Feb. Does anyone know if the operating aircraft will have wifi ? It's LGW-TFS

G-GATP operated today, which seems to have it according to the wiki.Fingers crossed for next week.

Are your fingers still crossed? For the weather as well as the wifi!?
The aircraft due to fly that route hasn't been loaded onto the Flightradar24 system yet but over 50% of the A320ceo fleet have working wifi for sure so there's a good chance. Judging from Simfly's post above, BA are finally rolling it out across the rest of the shorthaul fleet. The aircraft are all physically capable of receiving it but BA have been "testing and optimizing" the system before full rollout. After a few years of delays for various reasons it looks like we're nearly there with a full working system on shorthaul.

lfc84 likes this.

Feb 13, 2020, 5:28 am

#694

Robespierre

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: UK/France

Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, EY Plat, etc

Posts: 351

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatT1Feeling

Air France A320s with connectivity have messaging for free and pay for streaming. Lufthansa allows free access via iPass on FlyNet. Both work really well. I think BA needs to catch up and shake off its LCC DNA with a free messaging option to anybody with an EC or OW FF number (and yes that should include Blue Cards) but charge for streaming and video content or allow payment via Avios.

hsmall likes this.

Feb 21, 2020, 6:57 am

#695

hsmall

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: London, United Kingdom

Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion

Posts: 4,739

A data point (and mild rant) from this morning’s BA2644 to MLA (G-MIDO). I was quite pleased when I found it had wifi as something had cropped up at work which it would have been optimal to deal with while we were in the air. But the connectivity got as far as either the welcome page saying the Wi-fi was not available or the banner which says that connectivity is limited and payment processing is suspected but if you have paid (I hadn’t been able to) you can continue to use it for messaging. This was stressful. The CSD did his absolute best to sort it - they reset it twice - but it would not work. So a warning if you get G-MIDO in the near future....

One interesting technical point was that notwithstanding that I had not paid a tiny proportion of emails did download. Which I am curious about.

Feb 22, 2020, 10:51 am

#696

JohnnyCarmello

Join Date: Feb 2020

Location: London

Programs: BAEC - Silver

Posts: 70

So what you're all saying is that I won't be able to stream the Ireland Wales game tomorrow on the A350....

Feb 23, 2020, 2:11 am

#697

Schind

Join Date: Mar 2017

Posts: 726

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyCarmello

So what you're all saying is that I won't be able to stream the Ireland Wales game tomorrow on the A350....

You will, but expect it to cost at least £50!

In other news, the last A380 to be fitted is on its way back from Manila and the last two 777s that are being fitted are at Cardiff. Just the 787s to go and it's job done.

Feb 23, 2020, 2:14 am

#698

JohnnyCarmello

Join Date: Feb 2020

Location: London

Programs: BAEC - Silver

Posts: 70

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schind

You will, but expect it to cost at least £50!

Might not be worth spending that to see Ireland lose...

Feb 23, 2020, 2:19 am

#699

Schind

Join Date: Mar 2017

Posts: 726

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyCarmello

Might not be worth spending that to see Ireland lose...

I don't know if they will. By the way, they're playing England. I saw odds of 5/2 for an Ireland win offered yesterday. At that price I was tempted to bung a few pounds on. I'm still pondering...

alex67500 likes this.

Mar 3, 2020, 1:49 pm

#700

Mordac

Join Date: Oct 2017

Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Platinum; Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Wyndham Diamond

Posts: 788

I was on a flight where they had to re-set the wifi system, and once it had been reset, the system wouldn't recognize I'd purchased access already. I asked Cabin Crew what to do, and they said I'd just have to buy it again, and then ask for a refund. I did so, but now can't find anywhere to contact for a refund. Do I just phone the Gold line and ask for customer relations, or is the WiFi stuff handled by a different department?