adjonline

Boingo have sent an email in relation to inflight wifi which reads:

Quote:

Hi,

We are pleased to advise of some upcoming enhancements to your Boingo Wi-Fi for Mastercard® Cardholders benefit, so we are working with Mastercard to make it easier than ever.

On March 9, 2023, cardholders eligible for Inflight Wi-Fi will be able to connect 12 times per calendar year for 90 minutes per session. This change does not limit the amount of data or sessions that can be consumed during each flight.

Your benefit at land based wi-fi hotspots remain unchanged. No passes are required to use land wi-fi hotspots; you can continue to enjoy your membership even when your passes are depleted.

What do I have to do to take advantage of this improvement?

Absolutely nothing – we've got you covered.

Each time you use an Inflight session after March 9th, 2023, you will receive an email notification with how many sessions you’ve used and how many you have left.

If you have any questions, our friendly Customer Care agents are available 24/7 to help.

The Boingo Team

Is there any meaningful way this can be termed an improvement?!

Dave510

I personally don't see it as an improvement, but for a small number (my guess) of people it could be an improvement. The current Boingo has an unofficial cap of 7 connections, or 2.1GB data per month. Now nothing is capped beyond the 12 x 90 min sessions per year.

nimisht

Not in the slightest. This is a downgrade and they are torturing the word "enhancement"

It would have been better for them to honestly admit it was costing them too much than to out-and-out lie like this, but I guess that'd trigger consumer protection laws in non-US countries...

BradnerBoy

This announcement is specifically related to unlimited inflight wifi as a benefit of some Mastercard products.

BradnerBoy

I just called their customer service to inquire about this new "enhancement". It's worse than it might seem at first because it's really not even time based, it's connection based.

That is, if I connect three times for 30 minutes on a flight, that's not one connection for 90 minutes, that's three connections out of my 12 in a calendar year.

I encourage everyone to call their customer service line and ask them to explain the enhancement then ask that your call be escalated to their tier 2 people.

United States - toll Free: ‎ ‎+1 800-377-5515
Canada - toll Free: ‎ +1 800-377-5515

A complete list of their numbers is here: https://redeem.boingo.com/mcsi/contact-us/

shershub

Hi Guys

This change is a total shambles and a massive step backwards!

Please write and complain to their email address on the red link "friendly customer care agents"

The more people that write, the more likelihood of it being looked at and reverted.

[email protected]

Here is my email thread below so far:


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Hi,

I write in response to the email below that sent earlier today.

Can you please clarify, how on earth in any way, shape or form, this represents “enhancements” to Boingo In Flight Wifi?
This is not an improvement. In fact a massive step backwards and in the wrong direction!

Initially you decided to limit the number of log ins per month. Now you’re limiting it to 12 times per year!
This is practically useless to any Business Traveller or Jetsetter who travels way more frequently than this.

I urge you to re-consider this terrible change.

Kind Regards



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Plan Type: MasterCard

Hi,

Thank you for contacting Boingo Wireless for MasterCard card holders. We are here to help regarding the change to Inflight Wi-Fi. The change allows users unlimited data to use in the allotted time rather than a data cap which is typically reached in less than 180 minutes.

Previously, once the data cap was reached, your account went inactive until the end of the month. With the new inflight change, your account will no longer go inactive.

This also makes it easier to track your usage since you’ll receive an email notification after each session has commenced confirming your redemption and the number of sessions remaining. This does not limit the amount of data or sessions that can be consumed during each flight like in the past.

Your benefit at land-based wi-fi hotspots remains unchanged. You can continue to enjoy your membership even when your passes are depleted.

If there's anything more, we can do to help, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Best Regards,
Mxxxxxx,
The Boingo Mastercard Customer Care Team
Boingo Customer Care Available 24/7:


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Hi Mxxxxxx,

This change is a total decimation of a previously good perk.

I am sure most frequent travellers would much rather a data cap which resets every month, than being limited to only 12 sessions a year! This is a terrible terrible change and makes no sense for the vast majority of users.

In your email you say with the new change the account will no longer go inactive...this is is not the case!

To give you an example, myself along with other business travellers do anywhere between 5-10 long haul flights per month...
A long haul flight is anywhere between 7 hours to 16 hours...

If I logged in on 10.5 hour flight from London to Los Angeles, I would need 7 x 90minute sessions...leaving me with 5 sessions for the return flight...leaving me 0 sessions for the remaining 360 odd days in the year....

A 90 minute session is totally useless on a long haul flight. Business travellers need continuous low bandwidth access for emails on the flight. Not unlimited data in a short 90 minute session. We are not influencers that are there to browse videos and social media. We don't need unlimited data!

We need continuous and frequent access. This change is the polar opposite of that.

I urge you to revisit this, or forward to your managers / seniors / executives. Alternatively please may you provide me details of who to escalate further with either your Executives or Mastercard themselves.

Kind Regards

Dave510

That's exactly what I was referring to.

BradnerBoy

Apologies. I just read that there are even caps on the Mastercard accounts.

maniac78

Which airlines support boingo inflight wifi? I've looked around and haven't found a list at all.

turbofanblade

Unofficially (from milesopedia.com):

Not sure what their source is. When I emailed Boingo directly asking which airlines offered in-flight WiFi via Boingo, this was the absurd response I received:

Boingo: a company that doesn't have a list of its own suppliers and doesn't know the meaning of the word 'enhancement'.

Dave510

From personal experience I can confirm it works on EVA, JAL and Singapore Airlines. I can also confirm that it does not work on all aircrafts on those airlines, as they mix suppliers depending on aircraft and route.

xcfly

Wanna ask for actual experience on how to access wifi on its locations (not on board). I followed the instructions https://passpoint.boingo.com/ and profile was correctly set. But still the phone won't connect to any of the spots when I am near one.

Clipper801

On a recent trip on AA from MIA to YYZ, operated by an A319, the inflight wi-fi Internet did not have an option to use Boingo. There was an option for eligible T-Mobile users though.
My earlier trip on AA a few months ago from FLL to SFO via ORD, operated by B737, the Boingo (via a Canadian MasterCard) worked well on both flights.
Not sure if my latest experience was isolated due to operating equipment type or AA is allowing Boingo only on certain flights.

planes&trains

Additional data point. Did not work on JAL in December. Only the very helpful "an error has occurred" message.

mrkenneth

If you have multiple eligible Mastercards, can the benefit be stacked on one Boingo account? i.e. 36 sessions per year with 3 cards registered.

Or should a separate Boingo account be created for each Mastercard?