747-400 with WIFI/IFE
 

I was on flt 862 from HKG on the 8th and it has WIFI installed. The charge is $20 for the whole flight I believed. They even have a tech support riding with the plane just in case there are any issue.

Can you provide some more info on the speeds advertised, if you bought, etc.

Also is the fee waived in C or F?

Was there streaming entertainment? $20 for 11+ hours isn't bad at all especially when they start putting in outlets next year.

Is the power outlet installation confirmed?

According to the flight status "streaming media will be available on this aircraft by the end of 2013" & "power outlets will be available in economy by the end of 2013".

So... as much as you can trust .bomb.

I hope so! That would really be a change I like.

AFAIK it's just to access on-board entertainment, not internet access.

C/F already have AVOD with IPTE to cover the same content.

It's not on the PS flights so I wouldn't expect it to be for others.

Not a chance in heck. Whose the main audience for wifi... business travelers, where are they flying... C and F mostly... UA aims for it to be a source of ancillary revenue and I'd be very surprised to see it waived in C or F. Now, one thing that I think is interesting (and smart) is that UA is simply buying the bandwidth/connection to the satellite and providing their own portal. So perhaps for full fare C or F tickets or something along those lines they could offer free wifi as they can tap into SHARES and MP to see info about a user.

Different system though, with a different contract with a different vendor. UA is one of the launch partners for this new system. I would be hesitant to draw any conclusions from what they were doing (or not) with GoGo.

great news, glad the wifi is coming online........ can't wait to have access. Price is reasonable too.

So, was this for internet access via wifi or streaming media via wifi or both via wifi?

Appears to be N104UA for those keeping track (listed as 'maybe' having WiFi on the fleet site).

Please let this be my plane from NRT to SFO on Sunday...

Well it went to Amarillo Texas today (Charter?)......so good luck with that.

hmm...leading edge is there...probably not getting a paint job since it already has the new livery, maybe they are using the facility to do the wifi mods and need to remove it.

Pretty good scam on Jeff's part if this is right
 

So let me get this straight. We're getting exciting about UA charging us $20 each so they can avoid installing IFE? Is that really what we're saying here? Pretty insane if Jeff's managed to pull this off. Instead of modernizing the aircraft, you allow people to pay you to stream your content to their devices. No device, no content.

I don't think it's conclusive what was being offered. They could have been testing the new sat-based internet service. The two are not necessarily going to be emanating from the same hardware.

Considering that they have stated publicly in more than one venue that the streaming on-board media will be free this quite unlikely. As in not a chance.
Only if you believe the uninformed BS being shared above.
Same underlying hardware; the internet uplink is an option on the kit.

The 744 was due to be in service around now based on when it was in MX to have the kit installed. Having the techs flying along also makes sense for a variety of reasons. They know we're watching the deployment eagerly. It behooves them to get it running and running correctly ASAP.

Before you (and others) get too fired up about this, perhaps a read of the flight status would be in order?

So based on that, it's pretty clear that the OP was describing a WiFi Internet service for $20 on their flight. How this turned into a thread completely focused on streaming video content is a different matter entirely.

The original news I recalled was just streaming video.

But I am corrected:

An update earlier this year had one sentence about internet access.

And I retract anything and everything I ever said, which might be construed negatively, about the worlds' greatest airline. :D

(Seriously, I think I recall reading about the streaming IFE being free and a charge for generic 'net access. My bad for jumping onto the bandwagon.)

That's actually a really smart idea. Why spend $$$ installing screens at every seat when you can just install power plugs and have a wifi media server for the plane? Everyone has a laptop or tablet these days. And the extra fee for internet access is a valuable and profitable service.

No thanks. I will just fly SQ instead.

N104UA has wifi and internet access (not free), as well as complementary streaming media onboard.

Internet costs money, the streaming media is free.

Don't count on it, N104UA flew to AMA earlier today (confirmed that 8404 flew 862 on the 8th), probably in for paint, which will take a week.

Why paint if it is in globe livery?

Maybe, but then why do they give free drinks or free use of Direct TV in C/F? Of course maybe I should not be giving them any ideas..........

Because its something that a lot of people will pay for (read: expense). If food and drinks weren't better in C and F, there'd be a lot if people up in arms.

Disagree.. I like to watch IFE while eating my meal.. with meager tray table space even iPad + food is a push..

Not exactly. The company still licenses the streaming media from the studios.

Actually it is still in the old livery, it is there for paint.

Guessing s/he meant free to passengers?

1 Boeing 747-422 N104UA 8404 1998 747 LIE FLAT 12F / 52BF / 70E+ / 240Y AVOD/OVER YES Maybe NO GLOBE AMA 12/11 - Presume Paint

I thought this meant the CO Globe...right?

:o

Probably.

Just got off flight 862. Did not hear or read anything on boar about wi fi availability.

It really is an intelligent idea. A further "unbundling" allowing for something to be considered a new feature that you pay extra for, while at the same time saving $$$ in infrastructure. I'm not so sure that wiring a plane for 110v is a trivial undertaking though.

And if we really want to make the cabin laptop & tablet friendly, how about trays that have a cup holder that slides out to the side? Something recessed that holds your drink securely, so there's less danger of spilling on your equipment and more room? Easier to do with tapered cups than cans of soda though (since you'd need a "bottom").

It is only on one plane, not formally in production and that plane isn't flying right now as it is in the paint shop. No real surprise that you didn't hear or read anything about it.

This isn't specific to 862. It's one specific aircraft. Even if that aircraft hadn't gone to AMA it's impossible for it to operate flight 862 2 days in a row.

They are explicitly saying that it's something you *don't* pay extra for though (wireless streaming of IFE, that is). And that level of 'unbundling' isn't new, it's just a different delivery mechanism. Prior to the merger UA tried a (failed) experiment of charging for some of the IFE on its 777s. To this day, UA charges for DirecTV.

It definitely does save the expense and weight of LCD screens at every seat, which is a significant number.

Not to mention the fact that several million dollars (i'd probably peg it somewhere at $3-4 mil) x twenty something frames for a very extensive cabin mod on a frame that is anywhere from 12-24 years old and bound for a new iteration with a different owner/operator (my speculation) in the next decade probably doesn't make sense from an ROI perspective, especially with the way consumer electronics are progressing.