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FAQ : Status of on-board WiFi rollout on BA aircraft

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Old Oct 1, 2017, 1:57 am
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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:
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FAQ : Status of on-board WiFi rollout on BA aircraft

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Old Jan 12, 2018, 3:36 pm
  #121  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dorset, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 635
Originally Posted by DominicB
I was on BA164 TLV/LHR, which is served by a 777 - and as I was getting ready to put my iPhone into flight mode at Ben Gurion, I noticed a wifi network labelled BAWifi.
Looks like this one is G-STBE.
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Beaulieu is offline  
Old Jan 15, 2018, 6:17 am
  #122  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Manchester, UK.
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Posts: 185
Looks like the launch is becoming less soft...

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb.../wifi-on-board

[Edit: I see you get an hour free for using Visa, not for AmEx. ]
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Old Jan 18, 2018, 3:45 am
  #123  
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Trade has released a PDF with Q and A on the new system. Contents below.

Which devices can I use to access Wi-Fi on board?
Wi-Fi enabled devices running Chrome, Safari, IE11 and Edge internet browsers can be connected to the Wi-Fi network on board. If you do not have one of these browsers, or are running an older version of the above, you may still be able to connect however certain features may not work. Please disable any privacy mode on your browser (ie ‘Private browsing’ mode on Safari, or ‘Incognito browsing’ on Chrome).

What can I use .air Wi-Fi for?
You can view British Airways flight information and access the internet in the same way that you would do from a hotel, coffee shop or any other Wi-Fi zone. Two packages are available onboard (with varying time options), allowing you to browse the web and stream content from providers such as Netflix.

When can I access the internet?
The service will be activated at a height of around 10,000 feet or around 10 minutes after take-off. The service is then available until shortly before landing.

Will the system be available on all British Airways flights?
Wi-Fi is gradually being rolled out across all British Airways aircraft and is currently available on selected flights only. Aircraft are subject to change from the initial test flights carried out in summer 2017. By 2019 we expect to have 90% of our aircraft connected. While we roll out Wi-Fi, customers will only be notified once on board a connected flight.

How do I get back to the .air homepage if I’ve navigated away from it?
Once you’ve purchased Wi-Fi, it helps to open a new tab in your browser to access other sites. If not please enter shop.ba.com into your browser URL and you’ll be taken back to the homepage.

Do I need to have an account to access the internet?
You will need to register for a .air account or sign into your existing .air account before you can purchase internet access.

Why do I need to create a .air account?
Creating an account with .air will not only ensure all receipts are sent to correct email addresses, but will also allow you to store payment cards to your account which will allow for a faster purchase of services onboard.

I can’t remember my password – how do I recover my account?
On our ‘Sign in’ page, please click the ‘Forgot Password’ link and follow the steps to reset your password and access your account.

Will I be sent a receipt for my onboard purchases through the .air portal?
Yes. Receipts for purchases made through .air will be sent up to 24 hours after your flight has landed. This will be sent to the email address provided when you set up your account.

Is it possible to make and receive texts or phone calls either through my GSM network or VoIP services?
As there is no hardware to support GSM services onboard you will not be able to make a phone call through your network provider. For privacy protection, VoIP calls through services such as Skype, FaceTime and WhatsApp will also be unavailable. We ask you to please turn your phone to vibrate or silent mode to respect other customers.

How much bandwidth is available to my device on this aircraft?
The available bandwidth is shared by all .air users on board, which means that the actual speed depends on the number of users at any given time, as is the case with common ground hotspots. On the ‘Browse’ package we endeavor to provide an experience of no less than approximately 250Kbps, which will be suitable for browsing the web, checking emails etc. On the ‘Stream’ package we provide an experience of no less than approximately 1Mbps. This will allow you to stream content from services such as Netflix.

Is it possible to switch between devices (e.g. from laptop to smartphone) using the same purchased session?
Your internet session is linked to the device you purchased it on and will not be transferrable. Please be mindful of your planned internet usage when selecting a WiFi package.

Why is my connection being interrupted or disabled?
While most of the world has Wi-Fi coverage in the air, there are a few limitations. This may happen during the course of the flight and can be due to a variety of reasons. Reasons include satellite handovers, which is when you move from one satellite cell to another or when the aircraft travels outside of the coverage area or over a restricted zone, such as Indian airspace or when the aircraft travels over a large expanse of water in Europe. During this period you may temporarily lose connectivity. However, it will resume after approximately 2-3 minutes. The .air homepage will let you know when you are not connected.

Does the Internet provide a secure connection?
Your connection on board is as safe as connecting to the internet via any other public Wi-Fi service on the ground. Connections to a secure website (ie HTTPS) or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) will remain secure, maintaining the encryption provided by the host.

Who can help me with billing enquiries?
Please email our customer care team at [email protected] for any billing enquiries or refunds.

What are the rates for internet access?
You will have a choice of two packages. Browse supports web browsing, email, instant messaging and social media excluding video, whereas our Stream package provides a faster connection so that you can stream music or films. Prices are available via the .air homepage.

Is it safe to operate Wi-Fi on an aircraft?
Yes. It is safe to operate Wi-Fi on an aircraft. Before Wi-Fi services are put into operation on an aircraft, all relevant aspects are fully tested and safety certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Under what SSID is the WLAN network provided?
The SSID is called “BAWi-Fi”. It is a publicly broadcasted Wi-Fi network.

When will I hear back from the .air customer care team regarding my query or issue?
The .air customer care team is available Monday to Friday during business hours. We aim to resolve your query/issue as fast as possible, however please allow up to 72hrs to receive a reply from one of our team members on the above.
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Old Jan 18, 2018, 3:47 am
  #124  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Manchester, UK.
Programs: BAEC Silver, then a handful of points on everything else.
Posts: 185
For what it is worth, the FAQ is also on the page I posted in #122 . :-)
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Old Jan 23, 2018, 5:05 am
  #125  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dorset, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 635
On G-CIVX at the moment on BA173. Wifi came on at about 14000ft, and the streaming package download speed seems to be clocking between 5 and 7mbps.
Beaulieu is offline  
Old Jan 23, 2018, 7:41 pm
  #126  
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Originally Posted by Beaulieu
On G-CIVX at the moment on BA173. Wifi came on at about 14000ft, and the streaming package download speed seems to be clocking between 5 and 7mbps.
Awesome! Hope you can used wifi on the flight. Hoepfully they will continue to install wifi.
N830MH is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2018, 12:50 am
  #127  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Balham - Gateway to The South
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Posts: 2,020
I’m not the most tech savvy person but failed miserably to connect on 9/1 - WiFi was announced as available by the pilot but always came up as unavailable.
The flight was BA182 on 9th Jan - I would be interested if anyone else was on the flight who did manage to access the WiFi.
missdimeaner is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2018, 11:34 am
  #128  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: London
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Originally Posted by missdimeaner
I’m not the most tech savvy person but failed miserably to connect on 9/1 - WiFi was announced as available by the pilot but always came up as unavailable.
The flight was BA182 on 9th Jan - I would be interested if anyone else was on the flight who did manage to access the WiFi.
That would have been G-BYGC. Interesting to see them adding more planes at a rather rapid pace.
missdimeaner likes this.
florian is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2018, 11:35 am
  #129  
 
Join Date: May 2011
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G-CIVF no wifi still. Colleague was on BA192 last night. No dice.
econometrics is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2018, 1:15 pm
  #130  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 18
Does anybody know if the 777s which are being densified will be fitted with wifi at the same time? Seems like a logical time to upgrade those aircraft too.
rockflyertalk likes this.
coolflyer is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2018, 2:22 pm
  #131  
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Parasitic drag caused by the go go antenna:


Last edited by oliver2002; Jan 26, 2018 at 12:32 am
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 3:06 pm
  #132  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
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Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
I had WiFi on London to San Diego last November. I thought this was widespread now?
cupsandsaucers is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2018, 3:56 pm
  #133  
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Originally Posted by cupsandsaucers
I had WiFi on London to San Diego last November. I thought this was widespread now?
Hi,

No , its not yet

Regards

TBS
The _Banking_Scot is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2018, 8:47 pm
  #134  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Originally Posted by oliver2002
Parasitic drag caused by the go go antenna:
https://twitter.com/Magsmeister23/st...44220897792000
Can't be long until manufacturers start offering antenna mounts within the fuselage. I am slightly surprised it wasn't considered for the 787/A350.
1010101 is offline  
Old Feb 6, 2018, 8:44 am
  #135  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 30
Is there any chance we can also track narrowbody Wi-Fi installs? The Euro Wi-Fi system has been installed on a couple of A321s for testing and I think it'd be great to track that as well.
yankees368 is offline  


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