Travel

Wifi on Air Canada - Business Class

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  • Aug 3rd, 2018 6:52 pm
Deal Addict
Feb 6, 2014
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St. Johns

Wifi on Air Canada - Business Class

I'm flying business from YYT to YVR tomorrow and I'm wondering what my best options would be for wifi. From what I can tell wifi is not included in business class, so I'm wondering about purchasing.

Does anyone know if Air Canada's One-way Pass ($21.50) is per leg or entire length one-way?
14 replies
Deal Addict
Feb 6, 2014
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St. Johns
GateGuardian wrote: Wifi is only available for purchase on International flights.

You can check your route here to see if it's available:
https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/hom ... wi-fi.html


https://www.gogoair.com/ac-bbyf/one-way-pass/detail/
Well, AC states that is available on my flight from YYT to YVR. What I can't seem to figure out is if the one-way pass is for the entire trip (YYT - YVR) or if it is per leg.
Deal Addict
Feb 25, 2007
1569 posts
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Ottawa
I'm writing this connected to Air Canada GoGo wifi on a transborder flight. Wifi is available on many (most?) domestic and transborder flights , and some international ones. I have connected today on one domestic flight, and one transborder one, with one domestic one still to do. I purchased on my first flight, and choices were 30 mins, whole flight, 24 hours, or monthly pass (which is what I bought).

It's possible it's different if you pre-purchase, but I don't think there is the facility for the system to tie you to an entire trip, only to a flight = one leg. So I guess everything is possible, but my expectation, and certainly the options available for purchase in-flight, would be per specified time or per leg.

Have a good flight!
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Mar 9, 2007
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Think of the Childre…
Hows the speed? Can you watch youtube?
houska wrote: I'm writing this connected to Air Canada GoGo wifi on a transborder flight. Wifi is available on many (most?) domestic and transborder flights , and some international ones. I have connected today on one domestic flight, and one transborder one, with one domestic one still to do. I purchased on my first flight, and choices were 30 mins, whole flight, 24 hours, or monthly pass (which is what I bought).

It's possible it's different if you pre-purchase, but I don't think there is the facility for the system to tie you to an entire trip, only to a flight = one leg. So I guess everything is possible, but my expectation, and certainly the options available for purchase in-flight, would be per specified time or per leg.

Have a good flight!

WOULD SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!
Deal Addict
Feb 25, 2007
1569 posts
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Ottawa
Nope. It's fine for all asynchronous stuff (email, dropbox....) and OK for browsing, but in my and my work colleagues' experience streaming, voip/similar, even large downloads or file attachments either bog down due to limited bandwidth, or perhaps due to deliberate traffic shaping/throttling. I'm fine with this. This is a premium, kludge-y service for businesspeople or other connectivity-addicted people to get their "I'm not inaccessible" fix, not an entertainment system. Maybe sometime soon we'll be fully connected even at 35,000 feet, but we're not there yet.

Editing to add: Just tried youtube for the sake of scientific inquiry :). Went for about 20s, then ran out of buffered data, changed to 240 lines, ran for a minute more, then paused again. I stopped the experiment for the sake of my fellow travellers sharing the limited bandwidth.
Deal Guru
May 29, 2006
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is that 21$ price for internation flights? im flying from EDM to TOR to Rome in 2 months, if I pay 21 bucks would I get wifi the whole way?
Deal Addict
Oct 18, 2014
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HK
From my experience it is per leg, but can't recall 100% as I use the monthly pass now.
Deal Addict
Feb 6, 2014
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St. Johns
I'll check tonight once I fly.
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Aug 3, 2017
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GateGuardian wrote: Wifi is only available for purchase on International flights.

You can check your route here to see if it's available:
https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/hom ... wi-fi.html


https://www.gogoair.com/ac-bbyf/one-way-pass/detail/
This is not true, they've been using the ground based gogo in NA for years, the international satellite service is new. It's usually an option to buy the single flight (~12$/segment) or the day pass (~32$/day). I flew out of YYT to YVR and beyond this week and bought a day pass.
Penalty Box
Mar 27, 2004
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Toronto
wifi is available on pretty much all their aircrafts except the 737.
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Nov 3, 2006
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YUL
oasis100 wrote: wifi is available on pretty much all their aircrafts except the 737.
Really? The 737 MAX is their newest aircraft, which only started flying last year. I would've assumed the A320 family woudn't get it since they are getting replaced in the next few years.

But you're right, according to AC's website. I guess these aren't aviailable as a factory-installed feature?
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Jun 12, 2007
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twotterdhc6 wrote: Really? The 737 MAX is their newest aircraft, which only started flying last year. I would've assumed the A320 family woudn't get it since they are getting replaced in the next few years.

But you're right, according to AC's website. I guess these aren't aviailable as a factory-installed feature?

According to:
https://www.skiesmag.com/news/air-canad ... g-737-max/

WiFi to be installed in Kelowna, maybe it's not certified for use yet?
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Aug 3, 2017
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twotterdhc6 wrote: Really? The 737 MAX is their newest aircraft, which only started flying last year. I would've assumed the A320 family woudn't get it since they are getting replaced in the next few years.

But you're right, according to AC's website. I guess these aren't aviailable as a factory-installed feature?
I was on an early 737 MAX8 flight and was disappointed to learn that they didn't do a factory install because it wasn't available from Boeing and they chose to rush them into service instead of sending them for an install. Westjet did the same.

The remainder of the narrowbody jet fleet (except CRJ100/200) have had wifi for a couple of years. I'm not sure if the 737MAX is slated to get the same system as the existing narrow-body (ground based system) or the more recent program to do the widebodies (satellite based). I believe it is the latter.

Sadly, in terms of passenger experience, I prefer flights on the 30 year old Airbus fleet to the brand new 737Max. More seat pitch/space, lavs you can actually fit in and wifi being my main reasons. If I regularly checked bags I'd also prefer the Airbus's since they're mostly containerized and faster than the single bag at a time belt loading and offloading on the 737Max.
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Nov 3, 2006
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I wonder why AC chose the 737MAX over the A320neo family. It would certainly complement their CSeries orders, especially since they have now officially become Airbus.

On the other hand, I really enjoyed my recent flight on a Swiss CS100 (was still officially Bombardier when I flew :razz: ) I like the 2x3 layout, and lots of legroom on the Swiss configuration. Can't wait for them to replace the rest of AC's Embraers.

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