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
Dec 14, 2020, 8:44 am
#721
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
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It's more complicated than that. Installing Wi-Fi post-delivery requires essentially tearing apart the entire interior of the brand new aircraft. All the seats, all the sidewalls, all the ceiling panels, it all comes out to install the wiring, access points, etc. It's a lot of work.
Dec 14, 2020, 8:48 am
#722
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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It's more complicated than that. Installing Wi-Fi post-delivery requires essentially tearing apart the entire interior of the brand new aircraft. All the seats, all the sidewalls, all the ceiling panels, it all comes out to install the wiring, access points, etc. It's a lot of work.
Dec 14, 2020, 9:18 am
#723
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,020
I mentioned it before. It was the only one Airbus would install in the factory for the A350. Anything else would’ve been an aftermarket delaying the entry into service. At the time in Summer 2019 BA badly needed the aircraft so presumably this delay wasn’t wanted.
As for whether they’ll retrofit them at a later date, I’m not sure. There’s still 787s with no WiFi that are of a higher priority.
As for whether they’ll retrofit them at a later date, I’m not sure. There’s still 787s with no WiFi that are of a higher priority.
Dec 14, 2020, 9:39 am
#724
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
Programs: BA GfL/GGL/CCR, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,502
It's more complicated than that. Installing Wi-Fi post-delivery requires essentially tearing apart the entire interior of the brand new aircraft. All the seats, all the sidewalls, all the ceiling panels, it all comes out to install the wiring, access points, etc. It's a lot of work.
Dec 16, 2020, 2:18 am
#725
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.K.
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 277
The .air sticker has been applied to a number of the -8 aircraft but none of them actually have it fitted. It was reported when they first started to appear, pre COVID, no one has explained why.
Dec 16, 2020, 2:45 am
#726
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
BA opted for gogo 2Ku service, while Virgin went for Inmarsat's GX. Theoretically Inmarsat is superior, because Ka "gives" more bandwidth, however there are a couple of points to mention with regards to BA's choice: gogo isn't exactly cheap either (the average satcomm system for a plane is about $100k turnkey), Ku is more widely available/tried and tested (Inmarsat will greatly increase its coverage and has the 5th satellite up and running now) and, finally, BA was burned by being a launch customer for Inmarsat EAN service (using S-Band satellite & 4G cellular masts), which was delayed for 2+ years. Finally, if memory doesn't deceive me Virgin selected Inmarsat Ka a while after BA chose gogo. Oh, and one last thing: Inmarsat GX is available for line fit in Airbus, gogo doesn't (but I think does on Boeing?)
Dec 16, 2020, 2:53 am
#727
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
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Posts: 2,502
BA opted for gogo 2Ku service, while Virgin went for Inmarsat's GX. Theoretically Inmarsat is superior, because Ka "gives" more bandwidth, however there are a couple of points to mention with regards to BA's choice: gogo isn't exactly cheap either (the average satcomm system for a plane is about $100k turnkey), Ku is more widely available/tried and tested (Inmarsat will greatly increase its coverage and has the 5th satellite up and running now) and, finally, BA was burned by being a launch customer for Inmarsat EAN service (using S-Band satellite & 4G cellular masts), which was delayed for 2+ years. Finally, if memory doesn't deceive me Virgin selected Inmarsat Ka a while after BA chose gogo. Oh, and one last thing: Inmarsat GX is available for line fit in Airbus, gogo doesn't (but I think does on Boeing?)
Dec 16, 2020, 3:15 am
#728
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
I'm confused. On 747/777/380s BA runs unlimited internet where you pay for time, but not bandwidth - so SIN to LHR cost around £25 and gets you a full flight of streaming. On 350 (and I think new 787 deliveries) BA has opted for a different service where data is limited and on my flight LHR-YYZ I was asked to pay £18 for 150MB of data - not enough to stream a single show on netflix, at a very low speed. Do you happen to know which aircraft uses which system? and why BA decided to go for a much worse solution for A350 when they already offered better wifi on other aircraft?
On the 350s I believe that BA has a Panasonic system; I'm not sure how it works, whatever little experience I have is in the maritime sector, but basically Panasonic (I believe) would work like an Intellian, or Furuno, of the maritime world: they build the system and ship it to Airbus for it to be installed. And then it's activated by an airtime provider which either has, or uses, satellites. And it could be that either gogo had no approval to have its systems working on an A350, or Airbus can't install gogo systems because they aren't certified.
Dec 16, 2020, 4:12 am
#729
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
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Posts: 2,502
Most providers offer either data or time (so do phone companies). What I was referring to is the band used by the various satellites; engineers will correct me but the shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency and the higher the energy carried by the radio wave - which in turns allows for greater bandwidth. There are lots of variables, of course.
On the 350s I believe that BA has a Panasonic system; I'm not sure how it works, whatever little experience I have is in the maritime sector, but basically Panasonic (I believe) would work like an Intellian, or Furuno, of the maritime world: they build the system and ship it to Airbus for it to be installed. And then it's activated by an airtime provider which either has, or uses, satellites. And it could be that either gogo had no approval to have its systems working on an A350, or Airbus can't install gogo systems because they aren't certified.
Dec 16, 2020, 4:58 am
#730
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
You keep bringing more technical data on how WiFi works on planes but you avoid answering my simple question: how come 747 could offer super fast unlimited WiFi at a reasonable price and 350 offers super slow internet at inflated price for limited bandwidth? It looks like person in charge of getting WiFi installed, had no clue what they were doing. £17.99 for 150MB as "full flight package" is a joke.
It's actually two wholly different systems, using different satellites, different wavelengths...
Dec 16, 2020, 5:26 am
#731
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
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My friend, I'm not trying to avoid anything. I don't have a dog in this fight, I personally find wi-fi on board a nuisance and I dread the day when VoIP will be allowed on board an airplane. Having said that, I thought I'd answered your question before but here is the super-duper simple version. The system used by BA on the 747 is not available for line-fit on the A350. BA went with another provider. Virgin uses a third provider. For a number of reasons (previous history, technical set-up, probably commercial agreements) BA decided not use this third provider.
I somehow assumed 747 system would be available for A350. That clarifies it I use WiFi for either work or watching movies on Netflix, so find it handy. Agree on use of VoIP though and already have seen people FaceTiming their partners from F seat in-flight
Dec 16, 2020, 7:11 am
#732
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
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Posts: 3,293
I always download a few bits off netflix before I travel to avoid this, it seems like the best option to me. WiFi is always a bit iffy otherwise.
Dec 16, 2020, 10:29 am
#733
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.K.
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 277
The A350 and 787-10 have Panasonic eX3 IFE, this apparently limits the wifi system that can be installed therefore BA had no choice but to use a ‘charge per Mb’ method on these aircraft.
How much they decide to charge though is obviously in their control...
How much they decide to charge though is obviously in their control...
Dec 16, 2020, 10:34 am
#734
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
But the 747s had the eX3 too.