Virgin Australia’s free Wireless In-flight Entertainment system

[grubbidok]

Family pooling? Maybe for others, not for me - no family to pool with. I'm a bit of a loner.

+Eleventy billion. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees this as over-rated. In fact, I get a little over this being used so heavily to promote without offering other real benefits for non-poolers.

 

[notzac]

Interesting - I wonder if the shift to WIFE will make airlines more relaxed about the use electronic devices? Their voluntary blasting out of wireless signals would seem to contradict their (already flimsy) arguments as to why they need to be turned off in the first place.

I suspect the airline world is waiting with bated breath to see what the FAA come up with in their latest review before deciding on anything: www.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/technology/faa-nears-new-rules-on-devices.html

 

[UP4014]

Family pooling? Maybe for others, not for me - no family to pool with. I'm a bit of a loner - and a constant traveller.

For me, in-flight services are very important, something that domestic carriers have never invested in, other than Virgin. Cable TV such as Foxtel is one of them.

Most regular QF domestic planes look almost identical, entertainment-wise, to what they looked like in the 1980s. About the only advance is that the earphones are now electronic rather than plastic tubes!

QF have 20 737s with the new seat back screens, increasing all the time. I find it superior the the ipad offering.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I get a little over this being used so heavily to promote without offering other real benefits for non-poolers.

Any broad based loyalty scheme will have components that don't suit all. I did note in my comment that not everyone will benefit from family pooling, but I'm guessing most (over 50%) would likely be pooling in some form. Some VFFers not using it, does not automatically mean it is not the major differentiator between VFF and QFF programmes. It would seem that L2A, although a differentiator, was not widely used when it was a paid option.

 

[aurora]

I suspect the airline world is waiting with bated breath to see what the FAA come up with in their latest review before deciding on anything: www.nytimes.com/2013/09/23/technology/faa-nears-new-rules-on-devices.html

Also reported by Mr Creedy in The Australian (with a quote from Virgin) - Move to cool online attitude to altitude. | The Australian

Bring on gate-to-gate!

 

[maninblack]

Without reading this whole thread, whatever happened to VA's promised new wireless IFE? This has been in the pipeline for over a year. It's all a bit of a joke really isn't it.

 

[bcworld]

Without reading this whole thread, whatever happened to VA's promised new wireless IFE? This has been in the pipeline for over a year. It's all a bit of a joke really isn't it.

It's not really a joke no, it's live on quite a large number of aircraft now.

 

[toowongman]

Without reading this whole thread, whatever happened to VA's promised new wireless IFE? This has been in the pipeline for over a year. It's all a bit of a joke really isn't it.

Wireless In-flight Entertainment | Virgin Australia

 

[lovestotravel]

You just need to buy your kids an iPad each so they can use it.......

FAIL

 

[aurora]

You just need to buy your kids an iPad each so they can use it.......

Or a headphone splitter... Belkin RockStar Multi-Headphone Splitter and Aux Cable - Apple Store (Australia)...

 

[lovestotravel]

Or a headphone splitter... Belkin RockStar Multi-Headphone Splitter and Aux Cable - Apple Store (Australia)...

I'd rather fly an airline that has an in-built IFE solution thanks

 

[777]

Without reading this whole thread, whatever happened to VA's promised new wireless IFE? This has been in the pipeline for over a year. It's all a bit of a joke really isn't it.

It's on their aeroplanes -- or at least most of the ones i've been on lately.

 

[Birdblack]

Has the wireless IFE made it to any Embraers yet?

 

[Guru1]

Hi,

41 Boeing 737-800's have been equipped with the wifi. All the BSI aircraft are now fitted, with the remainder being installed to the aircraft with livetoair.

2 embraers have been fitted and are still being tested, with the remainder of the fleet being fitted before the end of this year. The whole rollout (except the airbus) will be completed by December.

Has the wireless IFE made it to any Embraers yet?

 

[maninblack]

It's on their aeroplanes -- or at least most of the ones i've been on lately.

Been on 4 in the past fortnight. None had it. Have not seen it yet. This includes a BSI last week which certainly was not offering the product.

 

[travelislife]

Used it last night for the first time on a 737 BSI. The interface and smoothness of the video was much better than I thought it would be, no lag at all. A bit short on the content side. There is the massive issue of having to hold your phone/laptop/iPad though. Personally I prefer the seat back entertainment on QF as it is also GTG and you don't have to look down. Did the survey on the system and one of the specific questions was is QFs system better, suffice to say I answered yes!

 

[markis10]

Got to use it today on the poly blue plane (used to have LTA installed) and was very impressed. Content is greater than QF and also much quicker to stream, with no drop outs etc. If only they could put a cloth strap on the seat in front to act as a tablet holder. Moving map is also very good.

 

[docjames]

Re: Virgin Australia streaming IFE

Agree with last 2 posts, needs a holder of some sort.

Otherwise pretty good.

Used ~ 15% of iPhone battery in ~ 60mins.

Longer flights may need in seat chargers to be sure battery life as if I'd been in meetings all day and didn't have charge time in the lounge it could be an issue.

 

[Atleastonce]

Re: Virgin Australia streaming IFE

I have used it quite a number of times but my last trip a few days ago with the programs kept stopping and resetting at random times in a program and the voice to picture was not synchronized. Other than my last trip it has been good. Let's see what Mondays flight is like.

 

[maninblack]

Re: Virgin Australia streaming IFE

Not available on my flight yesterday. Still have not seen it.