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free texting on Alaska not for all (mini rant of an iPad user)

free texting on Alaska not for all (mini rant of an iPad user)

Old Aug 23, 2019, 8:36 am
  #1  
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free texting on Alaska not for all (mini rant of an iPad user)

Hi All,

THis probably is more a gogo issue but it happened a few years ago and I let it be. I find it misleading that one supposedly can use imessage/whatsapp but NOT for iPads nor computers. ONLY iPhones Now this took about a fifty minute chat yesterday with gogo tech support (what else do you do on a plane ) to figure out. No explanation on the device, it just didn't go through. In the description it does say smartphone but I found two instances where it just lists iMessage and mobile device. Are laptops/ipads NOT mobile? Sorry I know this probably only affects a very small set of users but can someone explain to me why? I understand that they block attachments for data size reasons. I can see that maybe laptops would be difficult to block the correct traffic (although not sure why). BUT iPads? It is still the same OS and I find the literature misleading. Of course, Alaska and Gogo both push the buck back and forth.

Has anyone else had this issue and gotten some compensation? For multiple reasons I don't have an iOs/Android phone so I'm annoyed by it but more than anything don't get the WHY? Also if you do decide to block feature (their right) then they should at least be "clear" and have minimum the dreaded exception asterisk with small print on the bottom excluding iPads/laptops.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for taking the time to read my mini rant, I already feel a bit better.

Last edited by phillyman; Aug 23, 2019 at 8:58 am Reason: was trying to edit title to say free imessaging since texting is a different standard
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 9:47 am
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You can use the free WiFi on any laptop. Simply change your browser identification to a mobile device and it works.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 10:27 am
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So AS has a feature that works for 99.8% of all passengers but since you are in the .2% you think you need compensation? There are many good reasons to receive compensation from an airline but recently it seems as if there has been a lot of whining on this site about amazingly minor issues with everyone thinking they need compensation. Perhaps it would be best if we saved the compensation requests for major problems and put all of the other annoyances in the "that's life" category.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 11:38 am
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I agree that this one is in the "that's life" category.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 4:13 pm
  #5  
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My BlackBerry also doesn't send texts in-flight (android os )

It can be nice to be disconnected.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 5:54 pm
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I dont understand. How can you be compensated for a free feature that doesnt work?

Heres your money back in the form of original payment.

Oh. Thats not enough?

Fine. Heres double-your-money back.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 7:03 pm
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Hi -

WhatsApp (for me) routes through my phone. I can use WhatsApp on my MacBook and/or iPad, but only because I have connected it to my iPhone.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 9:12 pm
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Originally Posted by twitch76
I dont understand. How can you be compensated for a free feature that doesnt work?

Heres your money back in the form of original payment.

Oh. Thats not enough?

Fine. Heres double-your-money back.
One time I got a $25 voucher from VX for the free live TV not working. I didn't request it--I wouldn't have even used the live TV anyhow--so I'm assuming they just sent it out to everyone on the flight.

I'm not saying I necessarily think you DESERVE compensation in either my or OP's cases, but it doesn't seem too hard to figure out that the compensation is for the crappy experience, and that it's not a refund.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 9:58 pm
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Originally Posted by Eurynom0s
One time I got a $25 voucher from VX for the free live TV not working. I didn't request it--I wouldn't have even used the live TV anyhow--so I'm assuming they just sent it out to everyone on the flight.

I'm not saying I necessarily think you DESERVE compensation in either my or OP's cases, but it doesn't seem too hard to figure out that the compensation is for the crappy experience, and that it's not a refund.
Does Alaska advertise that free texting is available on laptops or iPads, and then it doesn't work? If so.. link please.

Your VX example would be better if you complained that BBC4 wasn't available on your flight (presumably not an advertised channel) and then they offered you compensation for the "inconvenience". Or are you really suggesting that we all should be entitled to compensation for "crappy experience" on every flight because AS/Gogo offered a free service that doesn't meet our wishes? Can I also get compensation because they don't offer espresso, Pepsi and real champagne?

OP -- AS advertises/advises the following:

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...text-messaging

  • A capable smartphone is required.
All that said (rant about compensation culture ended), it would be nice if AS offered a broader selection of messaging services. But I suspect we are not too far away from free wifi for all anyway. Which I personally am not really looking forward to...
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 10:06 pm
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Originally Posted by jjmadison
You can use the free WiFi on any laptop. Simply change your browser identification to a mobile device and it works.
This. Download iCabMobile web browser to your iPad. Go to Settings > Network > Browser ID and select Safari (iPhone). Then the next time youre on a flight, use iCabMobile to log into GoGo. Problem solved.
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 10:15 pm
  #11  
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My tone might be off-putting/whiny that was not the intent but a couple of points.

First and foremost, people are right that compensation should be for bigger issues than this one. At the same time I feel like we (the gov) let the airlines get away with wayyy too much crap that is unacceptable (delays, fees, service etc). I generally feel terrible for anyone that works in a front facing capacity for an airline. I also try to smile and talk to the airline employees and for the most part you will get a heartfelt reaction to a little decency.

1. I clearly state that it is a mini rant and thought my tone indicated annoyance. No it is NOT a big deal BUT annoying for me. My MAIN issue was that it is NOT stated that certain devices do not work and it is implied in my mind that they do.
1b. For iMessage (which I know so I won't speak about WhatsApp) there is no discernible difference between the devices so I was trying to understand why they have an artificial block.

2. I should not have mentioned compensation. I felt entitled to something for my time and effort for something they were not clear about. They DO point out there is a free messaging option on their airline. which if I want to use it is NOT free to me. But Eurynom0s more eloquently summed up what I was trying to say originally. The crappy experience and not being clear is what mostly ticked me off. I would have been annoyed either way but at least they would make clear it is for iPhones only. Along those lines I posted it to see if anyone could explain the WHY for the policy.

From the replies, no one has encountered or knows why they do it, so we can certainly close the thread as there is no reason to discuss the merits of my original post.
I appreciate the feedback and probably overreacted to a minor annoyance for a very much first world problem. I do stand by my original question of why the restriction is there in the first place, if like someone said it affects almost no one why not include us? But the rest is meaningless rant.

On to new topics.

Philly
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Old Aug 23, 2019, 10:26 pm
  #12  
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HI I should have added this picture as an example


Alaska Air screenshot on laptop. To be clear I was not trying to text through the web browser but this came up when I tried to connect through what Gogo recommended I try. In this instances it does state free texting through the application which is what I was trying to do

It is correct that it states compatible smartphone or mobile device in the instructions. I consider an iPad a mobile device (for that matter even a laptop but reasonable minds can disagree). I feel if you list iMessage and that is available on multiple platforms you should just write iPhone to be very clear since that is the distinction you (Alaska Air) are making. Plus your tech support should know this policy and refer to it in the terms of use which I checked and could not find a reference excluding devices.

Again let us move on to more productive threads. I felt it was only fair to add the screenshot that made me go down the rabbit hole.
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Last edited by phillyman; Aug 23, 2019 at 10:30 pm Reason: rewrote last sentence to explain why I added another meaningless post (screenshot)
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Old Aug 24, 2019, 9:07 am
  #13  
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At the OP's suggestion, we'll close.
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