Return of Wifi on Virgin Australia

[Harrison_133]

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.

I almost always get streaming apps like Netflix, Stan or iView to work, with a few buffers here and there, but my primary use of the Wi-Fi is for messaging apps or internet searches which I haven’t had any issues with. So in my experience, I haven’t felt frustrated by the WiFi itself, it’s always worked for my needs. Reading previous comments though, I must be having better luck than others.

The obvious issue is that it needs to be rolled out to more aircraft, which is being addressed anyway with the cabin reconfigurations. That just leaves us to find out what “majority of the fleet” actually means, and which aircraft won’t be fitted.

 

[Saab34]

Majority of the fleet, aka we don’t want to spend too much money. Don’t forget this is a private equity pie in the making, they haven’t really splashed much cash around on anything recently. All going to plan I say.

 

[Human]

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 free internet tier on VA1 was superior (higher speeds, fewer dropouts) to the paid internet on VA2.

 

[henrus]

Currently on VA184 from NAN to SYD...

When it works, it works well (this is the free J/status option).

 

[UP4014]

Majority of the fleet, aka we don’t want to spend too much money. Don’t forget this is a private equity pie in the making, they haven’t really splashed much cash around on anything recently. All going to plan I say.

Yes, agree, will know they are ready to sell when they splash some cash on the quick wins.

 

[henrus]

Yes, agree, will know they are ready to sell when they splash some cash on the quick wins.

Like the new seats/usb power/ and maybe wifi for every aircraft like the announced?

 

[Saab34]

Like the new seats/usb power/ and maybe wifi for every aircraft like the announced?

That is over many years, Bain likely won’t be a majority investor, either way that investment will probably be loaded as debt considering it was $100m+

Having worked for a PE company that was sold many years ago, the principles are still much the same, while we were in that pre sell phase, nobody was to spend a cent. It was pretty full on, finance teams would question anything over five figures. If something significant had to happen, finance team loaded it as fresh debt and the new owner was left deal to with the balance sheet.

I recall Virgin has spent money on the Adelaide and Melbourne lounges, spent some money on IT platforms, but they haven’t really done anything else aside the fleet product upgrade which was never announced who is paying for it.

 

[MooTime]

That is over many years, Bain likely won’t be a majority investor, either way that investment will probably be loaded as debt considering it was $100m+

Having worked for a PE company that was sold many years ago, the principles are still much the same, while we were in that pre sell phase, nobody was to spend a cent. It was pretty full on, finance teams would question anything over five figures. If something significant had to happen, finance team loaded it as fresh debt and the new owner was left deal to with the balance sheet.

I recall Virgin has spent money on the Adelaide and Melbourne lounges, spent some money on IT platforms, but they haven’t really done anything else aside the fleet product upgrade which was never announced who is paying for it.

re Wifi, used it half doz times & no issue, have experienced the slightest of buffering on live video, but prefer to watch IFE for a movie.

Of course saying one thing & doing that is often not parallel, but they have stated recently, article from AFR (January 2023) the below;
Also what ones meaning of 'significant shareholding' to another differs.

 

[trisreed]

26 frames fitted so far

Does AFF have a Wiki function or similar? I find myself referring to this thread often to check whether the frame I am travelling on has WiFi on board. The little 'radio' symbol on the flight status page on Virgin's site seems to be wrong (sometimes it's right) and it may even be (or feeds) what the crew uses.

On a recent flight, I was informed by the cabin manager that he was under the impression from such a symbol on his system that there was indeed (internet) WiFi on the flight and there was none.

I also imagine by now more frames are fitted, but I wonder if there is any 'good' way to know which frames are WiFi enabled? It really seems to be (at least for me) luck of the draw, I have had a few transcons with no WiFi which could have turned it into very productive time.

At least my experience of late is of better quality WiFi, compared to what happened when there was the "return of Wifi".

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does AFF have a Wiki function or similar? I find myself referring to this thread often to check whether the frame I am travelling on has WiFi on board. The little 'radio' symbol on the flight status page on Virgin's site seems to be wrong (sometimes it's right) and it may even be (or feeds) what the crew uses.

On a recent flight, I was informed by the cabin manager that he was under the impression from such a symbol on his system that there was indeed (internet) WiFi on the flight and there was none.

I also imagine by now more frames are fitted, but I wonder if there is any 'good' way to know which frames are WiFi enabled? It really seems to be (at least for me) luck of the draw, I have had a few transcons with no WiFi which could have turned it into very productive time.

At least my experience of late is of better quality WiFi, compared to what happened when there was the "return of Wifi".

I think the symbol means the plane is - was at some stage - wifi equipped. But not all the wifi has been turned back on.

So you will often see the symbol, but that doesn’t mean it’s available.

Why they still publish it, who knows.

Just another frustration of flying VA.

 

[trisreed]

I think the symbol means the plane is - was at some stage - wifi equipped. But not all the wifi has been turned back on.

So you will often see the symbol, but that doesn’t mean it’s available.

Why they still publish it, who knows.

Just another frustration of flying VA.

Cheers - this is why I ask. I've flown with VA four times in the last week and only one had a fully working (internet) WiFi system - despite some others having the 'symbol'. You sum it up well in that last sentence.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I had two VA flights on Monday, one didn't have wifi, the other did (thankfully the longer MEL-BNE flight). I was in J so didn't have to pay and I streamed a movie on Prime and it worked well with only a couple of short buffers.

 

[Luke B]

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

26 frames fitted so far

Is there any update to this list now?

 

[lovestotravel]

MEL-NAN recently on YIH - Wasn't working and was announced before departure, this same aircraft also has wifi issues a few months back

Came back on a FJ A350 and WiFi was perfect

 

[Luke B]

Updated from other reports:

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

 

[Whatever]

Latest list, from a friend who works at VA. A number are a bit flacky apparently given it not working for so long during Covid.

	VH-VUO	VH-VUW	VH-YFK	VH-YFV	VH-YIB	VH-YIJ	VH-YIU	VH-YQH
VH-VUH	VH-VUP	VH-YFC	VH-YFL	VH-YFW	VH-YID	VH-YIL	VH-YIV	VH-YQM
VH-YWA	VH-VUQ	VH-YFE	VH-YFR	VH-YFX	VH-YIE	VH-YIM	VH-YIW	VH-YQO
VH-YWD	VH-VUR	VH-YFF	VH-YFS	VH-YFY	VH-YIF	VH-YIQ	VH-YIY	VH-YQR
VH-YWE	VH-VUS	VH-YFH	VH-YFT	VH-YFZ	VH-YIG	VH-YIS	VH-YIZ	VH-YVC
VH-8IB	VH-VUT	VH-YFJ	VH-YFU	VH-YIA	VH-YIH	VH-YIT	VH-YQG	VH-YVD

 

[knagelli]

I was on the MEL - CNS flight last week and wifi was working okay. As it was free for business class/Platinum members , I could make use of the wifi with occasional drop outs. Overall it was okay all through the flight.

 

[kyle]

Might be common knowledge to others, but I just noticed the flight status page actually shows if a plane has wifi enabled or not.

Virgin Australia Flight Status

Virgin Australia Flight Status

flightstatus.virginaustralia.com

 

[MooTime]

2 flights last weekend, just MEL-SYD return.
First flight notified wifi not working, return flight worked a treat.
As WP.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Might be common knowledge to others, but I just noticed the flight status page actually shows if a plane has wifi enabled or not.

Virgin Australia Flight Status

Virgin Australia Flight Status

flightstatus.virginaustralia.com

Yeah, unfortunately that’s not reliable Flights that have the symbol quite often don’t have the wifi enabled, and very occasionally you’ll have a flight without the symbol that does have wifi!

I think the symbol means the plane is wifi equipped. But whether it’s beeen enabled is another matter. Then of course if the plane is wifi equipped and enabled, it often doesn’t work anyway!