Return of Wifi on Virgin Australia

[simmomelb]

Flying SYD-ADL tomorrow morning - is this fleet wide does anyone know?

Definitely not fleet-wide yet, they are replacing the previous equipment on each plane, as it's a new provider - I don't think it'll be finished until the end of 2023 from their last update.

We are also waiting to see how much they will charge for it (for people not holding platinum status or flying in bus class).

 

[AIRwin]

Looks like VA Internet is back and much better. I flew over the weekend and was greeted by a new page when I connected to the Wifi in the aircraft that had Internet and links to the IFE. It was fast that's for sure.
I was on VA734 back to Melbourne.

VH-YFR on Saturday or VH-YWA on Sunday?

 

[twinaisle]

YWA has it ready to go.
5 more to get activated by EOY

 

[AIRwin]

YWA has it ready to go.
5 more to get activated by EOY

Do you which other rego? Hope I end up on YWA for my flights this weekend...

 

[twinaisle]

Do you which other rego? Hope I end up on YWA for my flights this weekend...

I don't but it will most likely be the BSI aircrafts which will go live.

Will be high speed. Comp for Plat/Beyond/J class.

Prices from $9.95 onwards

 

[AIRwin]

I don't but it will most likely be the BSI aircrafts which will go live

YW- and YI- series?

 

[twinaisle]

YW- and YI- series?

A combination of the
YW
YV
YI

VU/VO/I series tbc but who knows depending on how fast they roll out the fleet.

23 AC by April. 55 AC by EOFY

 

[AIRwin]

A combination of the
YW
YV
YI

VU/VO/I series tbc but who knows depending on how fast they roll out the fleet.

23 AC by April. 55 AC by EOFY

How about YF- series?

 

[ozstamps]

Roll the roulette wheel - 55 planes and ONE it seems finally with Wi-Fi after what - a 2 year absence .... spin that wheel.

 

[Harrison_133]

How about YF- series?

Going off this number:

55 AC by EOFY

55 adds up to the number of 737s that were equipped with WiFi before administration. That covers all the Y series aircraft (except YVA), and a select few VO/VU series jets. Basically it seems they’ll start with the jets that already have had the hardware fitted.

 

[twinaisle]

How about YF- series?

Those too! I forgot about them

 

[Whatever]

Did you pay or are you Platinum/flew business?

I can't see anything about the cost on their website yet or a formal press release that it is now active.

Virgin Australia Newsroom

An online portal for press releases, breaking news and media from Virgin Australia

newsroom.virginaustralia.com

I flew Business. Name and seat number were all I needed. Prices for others were $19.59 for the flight. I guess a soft launch, with one or a small number of aircraft. Flightradar says mine was VH-YWA

 

[simmomelb]

$19.59? That's an odd amount and damn expensive (around twice what I was expecting for a short flight).

So no tiered pricing depending on speed?

Pricing doesn't bother me personally, being platinum, but I'm shocked if that is the starting price for others.

Rex pricing seems to hit that sweet spot, $9.75 for the entire flight on the slower speed and $15 for the higher speed (for video streaming).

 

[bladeau1981]

Flying SYD-ADL tomorrow morning - is this fleet wide does anyone know?

Wasn't on my ADL-SYD flight yesterday, guess I'll find out if it's on my SYD-MEL flight today if I ever actually get on the plane.

 

[simmomelb]

Wasn't on my ADL-SYD flight yesterday, guess I'll find out if it's on my SYD-MEL flight today if I ever actually get on the plane.

Only on 1 plane from the fleet for now by the looks, and 5 by the end of December this year.

 

[Bagpuss]

Roll the roulette wheel - 55 planes and ONE it seems finally with Wi-Fi after what - a 2 year absence .... spin that wheel.

Which obviously was going to be the case.. Start with one, then two, then three ... Until all are done.

I'm pretty sure this is the common practice for any airline with an existing fleet rolling out wifi

 

[Bagpuss]

I flew Business. Name and seat number were all I needed. Prices for others were $19.59 for the flight. I guess a soft launch, with one or a small number of aircraft. Flightradar says mine was VH-YWA

Looking at it's flight history there's no obvious recent days of being out of service for installation so I would assume it's installed overnight.

 

[twinaisle]

$19.59? That's an odd amount and damn expensive (around twice what I was expecting for a short flight).

So no tiered pricing depending on speed?

Pricing doesn't bother me personally, being platinum, but I'm shocked if that is the starting price for others.

Rex pricing seems to hit that sweet spot, $9.75 for the entire flight on the slower speed and $15 for the higher speed (for video streaming).

Simplified one speed and that's high speed.

30 mins is around $9.75
Full flight from $14.95(short flight) ranging to $24.95(long, 3+ hour flights)

 

[Bagpuss]

A quick look at tracking VH-YWA and Virgin's flight status tool ( Virgin Australia Flight Status ) isn't showing the wifi icon like it did in the previous life of wifi (yet).

 

[twinaisle]

YWA
YFR
VUR
VUT
Current have live wifi.