In-Flight Wi-Fi Prices Jump As Demand Surges

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
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While I find flying so boring that I probably wouldn’t think twice before buying expensive in-flight Wi-Fi, the pricing escalation is worth looking at. The trouble seems to be that there are many factors (location, saturation, etc.) involved that allow providers to really play around with pricing.

… on some flights — especially transcontinental routes crammed with business travelers who may have cushy expense accounts — prices have doubled from three years ago. Consider the following increases: Wi-Fi service on transcontinental flights — such as from San Francisco to New York, from Boston to Seattle or from Los Angeles to New York — now cost $28 to $40, up from roughly $18 in 2012, according to Gogo.
 
As long as the transpacific prices stay low ... I flew the Dallas-Hong Kong flight with American earlier in the year ... the $19 internet charge is very reasonable for a 15 hour flight (and it gives one extra entertainment option) ... at $40-60 its value would be diminished
 
I would imagine a decent portion of in-flight wifi is expensed to their respective employers, thus the users of it aren't concerned too much about the cost.
 
eh, they know they have people where they want, stuck on a flight AND most people are way too addicted to the internet to give it up for a few hours at a time.

That said, I usually have my laptop, will have a few movies ready to go as needed, and just let it fly.
 
When your company pays it for you, no-one gives a shit how much it costs.
 
sfsuphysics said:
eh, they know they have people where they want, stuck on a flight AND most people are way too addicted to the internet to give it up for a few hours at a time.

That said, I usually have my laptop, will have a few movies ready to go as needed, and just let it fly.
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Exactly. I sometimes preload a few pages to read, but mostly, I play a few games or listen to music. If it's transcontinental, I'll try to sleep or watch a movie, either one they provide or preload it on my phone and/or a tablet if I get another one of those.

I don't think it's worth 10 bucks for super-slow internet, much less 20 or 30.
 
nilepez said:
Exactly. I sometimes preload a few pages to read, but mostly, I play a few games or listen to music. If it's transcontinental, I'll try to sleep or watch a movie, either one they provide or preload it on my phone and/or a tablet if I get another one of those.

I don't think it's worth 10 bucks for super-slow internet, much less 20 or 30.
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Try a 15 hour flight ... the $19 for Dallas-Hong Kong wasn't too bad and it is nice to have one extra entertainment option
 
I just take a sleeping pill and wake up when we land. I'm perfectly fine if they want to charge extra for the convenience.
 
linuxdude9 said:
I would imagine a decent portion of in-flight wifi is expensed to their respective employers, thus the users of it aren't concerned too much about the cost.
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I don't know about other companies, but at my company you are *strictly* forbidden from buying any inflight entertainment or wifi unless you're a C-Suite executive.
 
I never pay for Internet on flights. Not $10, not $30. It's not worth it. Preload stuff on a tablet or laptop. Sorry but WiFi is not gold.
 
I love WiFi on flights, and I noticed it going up in price. I know GoGo announced they kept the price high to limit the demand to keep fast speeds. Hopefully with the new antenna's they announced, and JetBlue is using, it will go back down...
 
As a frequent flyer, (plat-dia depending on the year) Fuck these asshole's. That shit was already grossly overpriced, now it's just getting stupid. I'll pay for WiFi since none of the companies I've ever worked for consider it a viable expense of its reasonable. It is not reasonable and I'm not paying for it. Fortunately their security blows ass and is easy to circumvent.
 
svet-am said:
I don't know about other companies, but at my company you are *strictly* forbidden from buying any inflight entertainment or wifi unless you're a C-Suite executive.
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Some complained look at in flight WiFi as a way for employees to do work on the plane. At that point, $30 for WiFi to get X more hours of work out if a traveling employee is a great deal.
 
Man, it might be worth buying a Chromebook just to get the free voucher for airline wifi and then sell the chromebook for 50%.
 
I recently got a new credit card from AMEX that will pay for wifi (Boingo or GoGo) by recompensating me for up to 12 purchases per year. I can't say that's bad. I'll probably have to cancel the card in a year though, the annual fee stings.

Anyhow, outside of that, I have never done wifi on a flight. I'm too nice to my company to do so, and too smart to pay for it myself. As others have said, I come prepared with movies/shows on my laptop usually.
 
I have never used inflight wifi...but I don't mind paying something for it as long as it doesn't act like dial-up. Is it fast?
 
Viper16 said:
I have never used inflight wifi...but I don't mind paying something for it as long as it doesn't act like dial-up. Is it fast?
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No, it's typical satellite internet. Decent speed if given time about 1-3mbs, but just massive latency so pages take forever.
 
Viper16 said:
I have never used inflight wifi...but I don't mind paying something for it as long as it doesn't act like dial-up. Is it fast?
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It's useable, most things are blocked and I lost connection a few times.

I think it was 39.00 to Europe and back, so 80 bucks round trip. Pretty pricy imho.
 
ocellaris said:
Some complained look at in flight WiFi as a way for employees to do work on the plane. At that point, $30 for WiFi to get X more hours of work out if a traveling employee is a great deal.
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Unfortunately the WiFi wasn't working on the flight/the flight didn't have WiFi ;)
 
Dekoth-E- said:
No, it's typical satellite internet. Decent speed if given time about 1-3mbs, but just massive latency so pages take forever.
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Apparently they've gotten approval (or are close to getting it) that will dramatically speed up in flight bandwidth. I want to say it's 30Mb, but it might have been higher. Either way, if htey offer that, I'm sure they'll start billing by the hour.
 
One of the things I love about flying is the ability to disconnect from the "matrix." Don't see why Wifi would be needed on planes. Guess that's just me.
 
FM 3370 said:
One of the things I love about flying is the ability to disconnect from the "matrix." Don't see why Wifi would be needed on planes. Guess that's just me.
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Why? Well personally I watch jpop and loli vids just too confuse and scare the person next to me.
 
The few times I have tried it it's slow and disconnects frequently. And my laptop battery isn't enough for a full flight anyway and onboard power is a myth as far as I know (can't remember the last time I saw it in economy.)

Magazines, books, kindle, in-flight movies and sleeping. Still the way to fly as far as I'm concerned. Unless you're flying with your young kids in which case may god have mercy on your soul.
 
illram said:
The few times I have tried it it's slow and disconnects frequently. And my laptop battery isn't enough for a full flight anyway and onboard power is a myth as far as I know (can't remember the last time I saw it in economy.)

Magazines, books, kindle, in-flight movies and sleeping. Still the way to fly as far as I'm concerned. Unless you're flying with your young kids in which case may god have mercy on your soul.
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I had it recently and hated it....it was a gigantic power supply cutting my under seat storage by a 3rd (and shrinking my foot space too). First class looked worse, because it bisected the seat in front of them. I don't know why they don't put the storage under the floor board.
 
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