What Happened to my Free Inflight Messaging
Jan 21, 2022, 12:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SLC
Programs: Delta Diamond Medallion and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador Elite and Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 70
What Happened to my Free Inflight Messaging
Over the last four months and 60 flights I have been unable to access the free inflight messaging. When I connect to the deltawifi page it only ever offers me the pay options. I see and talk to others on my same flights using the messaging option, and family/friends have shown me their phones with the free messaging choice while mine only offers pay tiers. Has anyone else experienced this, or can you offer a potential solution?
Jan 21, 2022, 6:05 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 603
Over the last four months and 60 flights I have been unable to access the free inflight messaging. When I connect to the deltawifi page it only ever offers me the pay options. I see and talk to others on my same flights using the messaging option, and family/friends have shown me their phones with the free messaging choice while mine only offers pay tiers. Has anyone else experienced this, or can you offer a potential solution?
Jan 21, 2022, 6:52 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 241
Viasat Problems
I've had difficulty with free messaging or any actual SMS messaging on Viasat. My phone will rarely switch over to "wifi calling" (provider = t-mobile) even if I pay the $5 for access. So I can get RCS (chat) messages (from friends with Android phones/providers that support RCS), but I cannot get standard SMS. When I land, I'll often get a bunch of SMS all at once.
Maybe they have messaging working for pure internet-based chat platforms like iMessage and RCS, but something seems to be broken with standard wifi calling which allows regular SMS.
I do not have the same issue on gogo (which also provided me browsing on my t-mobile plan).
Maybe they have messaging working for pure internet-based chat platforms like iMessage and RCS, but something seems to be broken with standard wifi calling which allows regular SMS.
I do not have the same issue on gogo (which also provided me browsing on my t-mobile plan).
Jan 21, 2022, 7:12 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond, UA Premier Gold
Posts: 2,936
I've had difficulty with free messaging or any actual SMS messaging on Viasat. My phone will rarely switch over to "wifi calling" (provider = t-mobile) even if I pay the $5 for access. So I can get RCS (chat) messages (from friends with Android phones/providers that support RCS), but I cannot get standard SMS. When I land, I'll often get a bunch of SMS all at once.
Maybe they have messaging working for pure internet-based chat platforms like iMessage and RCS, but something seems to be broken with standard wifi calling which allows regular SMS.
I do not have the same issue on gogo (which also provided me browsing on my t-mobile plan).
Maybe they have messaging working for pure internet-based chat platforms like iMessage and RCS, but something seems to be broken with standard wifi calling which allows regular SMS.
I do not have the same issue on gogo (which also provided me browsing on my t-mobile plan).
Jan 21, 2022, 8:03 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,194
I've noticed that on gogo my facebook messenger doesn't work - I can receive messages but never can send.
Haven't had issues on viasat with free messaging.
Haven't had issues on viasat with free messaging.
Jan 21, 2022, 9:40 am
#9
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Programs: DL Platinum, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 138
Jan 21, 2022, 12:38 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: DL PM, AA PLT, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime PLT
Posts: 206
Over the last four months and 60 flights I have been unable to access the free inflight messaging. When I connect to the deltawifi page it only ever offers me the pay options. I see and talk to others on my same flights using the messaging option, and family/friends have shown me their phones with the free messaging choice while mine only offers pay tiers. Has anyone else experienced this, or can you offer a potential solution?
Jan 21, 2022, 5:02 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,371
Jan 21, 2022, 5:36 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 241
Well that is a step backwards from Gogo which fully supported SMS over wifi via carriers such as T-Mobile that support it. It worked on Gogo via Delta for years and was advertised by T-Mobile and also Delta.
Last edited by dave456; Jan 21, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Jan 21, 2022, 6:14 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: London/JAX
Programs: DL PM, BA Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, Radisson Premium, Global Entry, CLEAR
Posts: 872
The one time I've used it recently it worked (Viasat equipped) but my GoGo subscription wouldn't work on that one flight where I used it.