Virgin Australia to match Qantas with free WiFi on Aussie flights
By David Flynn, August 10 2017
Virgin Australia will match Qantas in offering free Internet on all Australian flights from later this year.
Virgin today fired the starter's gun on its own WiFi rollout, announcing plans to outfit most of its 77-strong Boeing 737 fleet with the satellite technology by the end of 2018.
Inflight Internet will also be available - at a price that's yet to be revealed - on Virgin's Boeing 777 flights to the USA and Airbus A330 services to Hong Kong and China.
Read: Virgin Australia ramps up WiFi to USA, then Asia
Speaking to Australian Business Traveller this morning, airline CEO John Borghetti said all passengers on those domestic legs flown by the Boeing 737s will enjoy "a basic free offering" of Internet access.
Free access will not apply to the handful of Boeing 737 international routes such as New Zealand and Fiji "at this stage, but you know that we are competitive and will always meet the competitive position in the market," Borghetti said.
Two-tier system: free, and a fee
Borghetti also confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that the airline would implement a two-tiered system, with passengers able to pay "to upgrade that to further access, depending on what the guest wants."
This paid premium package is tipped to offer more security and could also offer a consistently faster connection compared to the entry-level free service, depending on how service provider Gogo configures the system.
Borghetti tells Australian Business Traveller that "we’re going to release the pricing structure shortly."
Virgin's move towards a two-tier system – first reported by Australian Business Traveller earlier this year – could put it at odds against Qantas, which promises a single-tier system that's fast and free for all travellers.
Instead, Virgin plans for what it has termed Basic and High Speed options – the latter of which was pitched at between $15 to $21 per flight in a survey sent to selected Virgin Australia passengers in March 2017.
Read the AusBT review of Virgin Australia's inflight Internet service
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 May 2017
Total posts 10
13 Sep 2016
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09 Aug 2017
Total posts 8
Satellite technology has improved in quality and reduced in price. It is now incumbent upon premium airlines to provide their customers with this service. If Virgin wants to continue being viewed as a premium carrier (which in my opinion, it can barely manage to do today), it needs to offer a premium complimentary internet service to its customers.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
16 Dec 2015
Total posts 41
The number is exceedingly small.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
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13 Sep 2016
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2011
Total posts 335
Of course.
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 12
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2011
Total posts 335
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
16 Dec 2015
Total posts 41
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1383
Only time will tell.
And if more people start streaming on QF, I suspect they'd move in the same direction (much like EK cut back on free wifi because it was becoming unusable)
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
16 Dec 2015
Total posts 41
Whoever is proposing that improved security is a premium offering possibility doesn't understand the technology or is quoting someone who doesn't understand the technology (or both).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Jul 2012
Total posts 9
Often when something is free, people use it because it's there and not because they actually need to.
I've been on a 'free'wifi''flight and it took 15min for a single email that was text only.
I think that if someone is going to sit there watching streamed entertainment sucking enormous data, then they should pay for it.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
02 Feb 2015
Total posts 24
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
27 Jan 2016
Total posts 14
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Virgin Australia to match Qantas with free WiFi on Aussie flights