Virgin Australia’s free Wireless In-flight Entertainment system

[Warks]

The title comes from the email I received overnight. On my flight last week the announced they had this system operating. I set it up on my phone while still connected to the net at the gate but then didn't use it in flight as the screen is too small to enjoy anything and without any power points I didn't want my phone battery dead on arrival. Would be good on a tablet thingy I guess.

Anyone use it?

More info here:
In-flight Entertainment | Virgin Australia

 

[bass_ke]

Have tried it on a phone but used it on my iPad last month.

I liked live2air better but the wireless ife isn't bad at all, lots of content and you still get the moving map!

 

[medhead]

Used it this morning. Seemless. Not sure about the content range. The TV show options seemed limited to me and not of my interest. But plenty of content. Aircraft: VH-YFI.

Also had it available on a CNS-BNE flight mid August, but had left the iPad in BNE to save weight.

 

[kpc]

It was available 2 weeks ago on my flight Syd-Adl...I was not previously aware of it, and before I had time to download the app to use it, I had to switch off my phone as they closed the doors:evil:...so 2 hours of no IFE, save the map which you can access even without the app.

 

[Jousams]

All of my regular SYD-OOL/BNK-SYD flights have had the system recently, would really like them to install seat back holders for tablets. As its fairly impractical without them.
But I am impressed with the system, content, etc.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Yep, it's actually pretty good.

 

[Shano]

Re: Virgin Australia streaming IFE

Broken just now MEL-BNE

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Also had it available on a CNS-BNE flight mid August, but had left the iPad in BNE to save weight.

Hmmm, another X against BYO?

(I hate travelling with laptop for weight/annoyance issues as well)

 

[medhead]

Hmmm, another X against BYO?

(I hate travelling with laptop for weight/annoyance issues as well)

In my case, I had the laptop but left the iPad behind for weight reasons. MacBook so could use for Ife.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

In my case, I had the laptop but left the iPad behind for weight reasons. MacBook so could use for Ife.

Shall we rename you, medhead-pack mule!

 

[medhead]

Shall we rename you, medhead-pack mule!

Probably not. MacBook Air and iPad is what I normally carry. However, I didn't think I'd need both for a boozy 2 nights in cairns for a school reunion. I normally load up the iPad for ife, and the laptop is for work.

 

[SIA1A]

I'm rather disappointed to find live2air heading for the scrap heap. Foxtel content, especially live sport, business and general news, is in general far more compelling than stale old movies and TV shows. Virgin has essentially handed QF a free kick by discontinuing its only major point of difference. Unfortunately the scales have tipped back to QF for me. QF offers far better flight frequencies and many more non-stop flights to a considerably wider range of destinations than does Virgin.

Given that Virgin flights often give me no choice but to fly via a third city (hence a longer travel duration), the entertainment system needs to be a cut above QF in order to overcome Virgin's flight duration disadvantage. Juggling an ipod with no proper method of holding it while it shows canned programs of dubious interest is simply not a compelling differentiator - the reverse.

Does Virgin have any plans to run live2air content on the new wifi system, at least on planes that currently have live2air antennae and Foxtel satellite reception gear? Or will the Foxtel equipment be decommissioned on these planes soon?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Does Virgin have any plans to run live2air content on the new wifi system, at least on planes that currently have live2air antennae and Foxtel satellite reception gear? Or will the Foxtel equipment be decommissioned on these planes soon?

I think L2A comes at a cost they don't wish to bear. When it was a sold extra, I believe many simply didn't purchase the option and VA don't wish to provide it free of charge.

....to find live2air heading for the scrap heap.....Virgin has essentially handed QF a free kick by discontinuing its only major point of difference.

Whilst I agree L2A was a point of difference, I disagree it was the major point. A bigger (possibly the biggest) differentiator is family pooling. Granted, not an incentive for all, but I'd wager most VFFers are pooling in some context, but we can't do that with QF.

 

[SIA1A]

Whilst I agree L2A was a point of difference, I disagree it was the major point. A bigger (possibly the biggest) differentiator is family pooling. Granted, not an incentive for all, but I'd wager most VFFers are pooling in some context, but we can't do that with QF.

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!

 

[UP4014]

I'd prefer an extra inch of legroom than wifi. They cut before it cost them too much, smart move.

Matt

 

[bcworld]

I had a pretty coughpy experience with the inflight wifi the other day. Tried to watch a couple of docos...each time though the audio would keep stuttering or go silent for a couple of seconds at a time. Occasionally when this would get quite prolific I'd get booted back to the screen where you select the item you want to watch. Made the content pretty unwatchable. No idea if the issue was the system or my iPad.

 

[mannej]

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!

Not quite true - the 767's have the iPads on the vast majority of them, the 330's all have PIFE and the new 737's are coming installed with PIFE.

Whilst there are a number of 737's without the PIFE, the comment made isn't quite true.

 

[grubbidok]

One gripe about this WIFE is that it blocks off entertainment 20mins after take-off and 20mins before landing, unlike back of seat where you can watch from start to finish (except for some internationals - looking at you SQ!). On the short hops that's half the flight twiddling your thumbs. Can't comment on other specifics - it's never actually working on any of my flights - I was never overly impressed with the Galaxy offerings or the QF Ipads though.

 

[wenglock.mok]

One gripe about this WIFE is that it blocks off entertainment 20mins after take-off and 20mins before landing

That is somewhat true -- but the actual WiFi transmission appeared to be on all the time on my flight last week down to MEL on VH-YIT.

I could watch stuff while still at the gate until just before we started taxying, and almost immediately after liftoff.

And it seemed very smooth... in fact, I might say slightly smoother than the Qstreaming, which appeared slightly stuttery when watching videos. I am guessing this just depends on how many people are hammering the system at the one time.

 

[grubbidok]

That is somewhat true -- but the actual WiFi transmission appeared to be on all the time on my flight last week down to MEL on VH-YIT.

I could watch stuff while still at the gate until just before we started taxying, and almost immediately after liftoff.

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.