Qantas to get high-speed Wi-Fi on all international flights

Qantas is set to roll out free high-speed Wi-Fi on its international flights as early as next year as it works for ultra-long-haul travel.

That’s good news for the airline that has been plagued by delays, cancellations, lost luggage, mechanical errors, returns and staffing issues after the pandemic.

The airline’s chief executive, Alan Joyce, announced Qantas’ plan to have Wi-Fi ready on board international flights before rolling out Project Sunrise services by the end of 2025.

Project Sunrise will fly non-stop on 12 Airbus A350-1000s to destinations including New York and London.

But Joyce said Tuesday that Wi-Fi access could arrive in 2024 depending on satellite coverage, he reports. the aussie.

“The good news is that satellites have been launched and we believe coverage will start to appear from 2024-25, so we are considering equipping Project Sunrise aircraft with high-speed Wi-Fi,” he said.

The Qantas boss added that in the meantime, he would rather wait for adequate satellite coverage and focus on flight quality rather than charge passengers for poor Wi-Fi.

“We tested Wi-Fi on the A380s and because of the low-band satellite coverage, you can’t give it to everyone for free because it’s so slow and intermittent, it’s a terrible product,” he said.

“What happened nationally is for NBN these big satellites were put up and we took advantage of that, which meant everyone can stream Netflix simultaneously.”

Qantas is one of the only premium global airlines not to offer Wi-Fi.

This is despite the fact that other airlines charge passengers to access WI-FI on flights.

WI-FI on Virgin Australia international flights is $6.99 per hour or $12.99 for the entire flight. Long-haul trips are $8.99 per hour or $19.99 for the entire flight.

For foreign airlines, Emirates charges $15-$30 per access, Etihad WI-FI costs $7.30 every 30 minutes, Qatar Airways costs $12-$15, and Japan Airlines charges $15 per hour.

My Joyce said the airline’s “intention has always been to offer it free to customers.”

It also announced that Qantas would spend $100 million upgrading its lounges as a “thank you” to travelers who have supported the airline.

But a debate has erupted over whether passengers should be able to make calls on flights because of noise and privacy.

Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel industry research firm in San Francisco, recently told CNN: “Any way you look at it, allowing cell phone calls on planes is controversial.”

The airline’s CEO, Alan Joyce (pictured), announced the plan to have WI-FI ready on board international flights before the launch of Project Sunrise in 2025

Qantas is one of the only premium airlines that does not have WI-FI available on international flights. Although other operators charge a fee for access (stock image)

“I don’t want to be forced to listen to someone else’s conversation if it’s avoidable,” he said.

It’s bad enough when you find yourself in that situation at a coffee shop or hotel lobby.

“In a plane at cruising altitude, in a situation where you can’t do anything or go anywhere to escape, that would be horrible.”

A Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that a final decision has not yet been made on whether people can make audio or video calls.

The airline was hit with further drama over the weekend when Qantas passengers were forced to sleep inside a terminal at Newcastle airport after their flight from Santiago, Chile, to Sydney was diverted due to to a damaging thunderstorm that swept through the city on Saturday.

Earlier this month, a flight was forced to circle Sydney for almost two hours after pilots detected a problem with the aircraft’s brakes.

The airline also came under fire around the same time for leaving 60 passenger bags at Sydney airport that were for a flight that had already departed and landed in Wellington, New Zealand.