Return of Wifi on Virgin Australia

[AIRwin]

I was on YWE yesterday. The crew advised that wifi was available and it gave you the option to purchase a pass or login for free as a business class or platinum guest. I was in J but it wouldn’t let me log in with my name and seat number. (It also didn’t work for one of the other J pax.)

My last minute flight on YWE today:

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Onboard VH-YIB tonight (VA999) and WiFi appears to be active and working.

 

[AIRwin]

VOO
VUP/R/S/T
YFC/E/H/J/K/R/S/U/X/Y/Z
YIA/B/D/L/Q/V/Z (DOM/INT FROM D ONWARDS)
YQG/H/O/R
YWA/D/E

I've added VUP, YFU, YIB and YQG based on the recent posts...

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

I've added VUP, YFU, YIB and YQG based on the recent posts...

On a related note, YIB apparently did SYD-NAN a few days ago (and is set to do BNE-NAN tomorrow), but twinaisle has YID onwards as the DOM/INT birds?

 

[AIRwin]

On a related note, YIB apparently did SYD-NAN a few days ago (and is set to do BNE-NAN tomorrow), but twinaisle has YID onwards as the DOM/INT birds?

Same with YIA last week... @twinaisle?

 

[simmomelb]

By my calculations, we are well past 50% of VA aircraft active with WiFi internet.
The activations appear to be ahead of schedule, if this momentum continues, thankfully.

 

[Saab34]

Hopefully they make it free. Middle market carriers offer it for free in the US. Virgin still charge a premium vs Jetstar on many routes, the question one asks is, what actually do you get for that. Free Wifi should be part of the experience.

$20 for a whole flight seems a bit steep.

 

[MooTime]

Hopefully they make it free. Middle market carriers offer it for free in the US. Virgin still charge a premium vs Jetstar on many routes, the question one asks is, what actually do you get for that. Free Wifi should be part of the experience.

$20 for a whole flight seems a bit steep.

Free baggage, free seat selection.
Called s***star for a reason.

Personally i don't care much for wifi in the clouds, I'm a book person.

 

[henrus]

Free baggage, free seat selection

Neither of which are being offered on life fares. Personally I’d like to see a free messaging plan.

 

[simmomelb]

Free baggage, free seat selection.
Called s***star for a reason.

Personally i don't care much for wifi in the clouds, I'm a book person.

Yes, as much as it's a nice to have and it's included with my status tier, I enjoy "disconnecting" even when I'm travelling for business. That's my time to relax and unwind, I don't want to always be connected (good for the mind).
Everyone is different

 

[simmomelb]

Neither of which are being offered on life fares. Personally I’d like to see a free messaging plan.

Choice is really the standard fare, Lite was introduced after VA shuttered Tiger Air and to have a "Jetstar like" offering with little status and Velocity points, no sectors earnt to maintain status, no included seat selection, no checked-in luggage, no UpgradeMe option to bid for bus class OR buy with points, Fly Ahead not available, Velocity bonus points for Silver, Gold & Plat holders not available, a very limited number Lite fares available (for advanced bookings only), not available through travel agents or those with a VA Business Flyer account, an $89 change of flight fee even if more than 14 days out.

I know pricing on all routes and times vary, with all airlines, but as an example, I've often noticed MEL- MCY or OOL cheaper with a VA Lite fare than a JQ fare during peak travel times.

You won't see any extras offered on a Lite fare, it is a bare-bones fare for budget-conscious travellers with zero frills and would not (normally) attract many loyal VA frequent flyers, for the above reasons.

 

[AIRwin]

VOO
VUP/R/S/T/Y
YFC/E/H/J/K/R/S/U/X/Y/Z
YIA/B/D/L/Q/V/Z (DOM/INT FROM D ONWARDS)
YQG/H/O/R
YWA/D/E

Added VUY

 

[RickyT84]

Flew on VUH a couple of weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised there was wifi available on board.

 

[henrus]

Using the wifi right now, 61mbps down is not too shabby

Speedtest by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test

Use Speedtest on all your devices with our free desktop and mobile apps.

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[lovestotravel]

YIA/D/L/Q/V/Z (DOM/INT FROM D ONWARDS)

Sorry, what do you mean D onwards ?

YID-YIL ?

I'm on YIH in a few days..

 

[MooTime]

Recent trip MEL-CNS return has wifi both trips. WP & in J cabin.
worked on my sons ipad streaming youtube kids all the way, no interruption, was rather surprised.

The return journey they has to reset the wifi onboard about 20mins in as wasn't working, once done, all fine.

 

[henrus]

Anyone know how the roll out is going?

Has the 737 Max been fitted yet? (flight status page suggests no).

 

[Must...Fly!]

What are people 's opinions of the Wi-Fi situation? I find it really variable, they advertise it as streaming friendly but Kayo (which is admittedly quite demanding even when set to SD) never works, even trying to stream a radio station like ABC for the footy is really patchy. Otherwise a beautiful clear day for flying. Limited experience with other streaming apps like YouTube thus far. I personally don't place a super high value on the in-flight Wi-Fi and I'm not paying for it (though indirectly I probably am) but still it's frustrating to not be delivered what is promised.

 

[Saab34]

What are people 's opinions of the Wi-Fi situation? I find it really variable, they advertise it as streaming friendly but Kayo (which is admittedly quite demanding even when set to SD) never works, even trying to stream a radio station like ABC for the footy is really patchy. Otherwise a beautiful clear day for flying. Limited experience with other streaming apps like YouTube thus far. I personally don't place a super high value on the in-flight Wi-Fi and I'm not paying for it (though indirectly I probably am) but still it's frustrating to not be delivered what is promised.

The whole virgin experience is inconsistent across the board. It’s a very this and that experience depending which registered 737 you fly on.

A new Boeing Machine should never have arrived ‘partly built’ with no divider or wifi. They had multiple years heads up before taking the keys, management asleep at the wheel. I don’t know why people go on the Virgin Management defence when these undelivered aspects of the experience are called out.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What are people 's opinions of the Wi-Fi situation? I find it really variable, they advertise it as streaming friendly but Kayo (which is admittedly quite demanding even when set to SD) never works, even trying to stream a radio station like ABC for the footy is really patchy. Otherwise a beautiful clear day for flying. Limited experience with other streaming apps like YouTube thus far. I personally don't place a super high value on the in-flight Wi-Fi and I'm not paying for it (though indirectly I probably am) but still it's frustrating to not be delivered what is promised.

My opinion is pretty simple. It’s rubbish!!

Most planes don’t have it, even when the wifi symbol is shown next to the flight in the day’s flights status page. How hard is it to update that?

when it does work, which has been on two of may last… 8 or 10 flights? It’s patchy. Not quick to log on either.

So, without wifi… there’s the streaming VA entertainment. When it works. At least two or three of my last flights haven’t had that either.

But… and this is where VA’s service is poor… the cabin crew *know* the wifi or the streaming isn’t working. Yet not one of them has the initiative to tell the gate agent who opens the door on arrival, so that can be relayed to pax waiting at the gate and give them the opportunity to download something if they want.

I’ve had a couple of CMs tell me it’s been ‘frustrating for them’ to have to deal with inop wifi or streaming all day. Yet none of them do anything about it?