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Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

JMo
Explorer C

I am with everyone else in loving everything about Southwest- except the wifi.  I kept buying it thinking that 'this time will be the time it works!' only to have it not work.  I don't think I've opted for it on my last 5 or 6 flights.  It's just too frustrating. 

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

EricJ
Explorer C

I just wanted to say that on three out of my last four flights, the WiFi didnt work either and tat I have the same observation that you did:  The Newer 800 models Wifi is much sketchier than the older 700 Model aircraft.  In fact, it has got to the point where if I see the aircraft at the gate is an 800 model, I start letting people know (Whilei am onteh ground) that I likley won't be able to respond to their texts and emails until I get back on the ground.  Very frustrating since I fly a ton.

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

keithmyers1
Explorer C

I just wanted to say that 4 of my last 5 flights did not have operable wifi.

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee

We're sorry for the frustration. As a peer-to-peer support forum, we aren't equipped to assist you here, but we encourage you to reach out via the options in the link below. 

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

NicoleAshley
Employee
Employee
Solution

We're sorry for the frustration. As a peer-to-peer support forum, we aren't equipped to assist you here, but we encourage you to reach out via the options in the link below.

 

Submitting a Suggestion and/or Complaint

Nicole
Community Manager

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

Jodyisfishing
Explorer B

You sir are dead on accurate. Wi-Fi is very iffy and especially on newer 800 series.  I would say my experience has been about 20% good, 30% poor, 50% terrible.  The wifi system needs work, didnt have this issie with United wifi. 

 

Alist preferred member

Jody

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

Jodyisfishing
Explorer B

You sir are dead on accurate. Wi-Fi is very iffy and especially on newer 800 series.  I would say my experience has been about 20% good, 30% poor, 50% terrible.  The wifi system needs work, didnt have this issie with United wifi. 

 

Alist preferred member

Jody

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

vmirchan
Explorer C

Best I can tell wi-fi is a topic with tens of thousands of views on this forum. Would not be surprised if it is the most searched term. Because it sucks on Southwest. And it has sucked for years. Yet SW appears tone deaf of these countless complaints. I have heard it is the single biggest item SW issues credits for.

 

I qualified for A List preferred and qualified for free wi-fi last year. I was not excited about it till I read Southwest had signed on with another provider Panasonic Aviation with a much faster Ku-band  network. The previous provider Row 44, acquired by Golden Eagle had poor performance for years. Best I can tell even today only a small portion of the fleet connects with Panasoinc so they continue with the miserable speeds of prior years while making it look they have improved.

 

I have asked them to share with me under NDA (I am a technology adviser) metrics and not just words it is improving. They have refused. I have asked them to share with the broader customer base speed and other metrics - not difficult to do on a periodic basis. They have refused. Us passengers see all kinds of on-time, customer service and other metrics. It is not some high-security secret to share data that shows if the performance is actually improving. Especially for an airline which brags about transparency - I know they spell it differently 🙂

 

Anyone can run Speedtest on any flight and get the upload and download speeds but it would be nice for SW to step up. As they say step 1 to solve any problem is to acknowledge you have one. For 5 years, SW has not been willing to acknowledge that productivity in the air is an important matter for business travelers. And that they should push their wi-fi providers to improve it.

 

Can you imagine if their fuel supplier supplied sub standard fuel or their catering service provided contaminated food? They would fire them in a heartbeat. For whatever reason they seem content to not push their wi-fi service providers.

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

wrote:

Best I can tell wi-fi is a topic with tens of thousands of views on this forum. Would not be surprised if it is the most searched term. Because it sucks on Southwest. And it has sucked for years. Yet SW appears tone deaf of these countless complaints. I have heard it is the single biggest item SW issues credits for.

 


There are a few posts about pre-boards, early-bird, and seat saving, but I'll give you that it is probably in the top 4 in terms of volume of posts. 

 

Maybe it is the most searched term, conditional probability for people that are concerned about wifi quality to use the search functions?

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: In-Flight Wi-Fi Disappointments

JourneyG19
Explorer C

The WiFi on Southwest is Awful! Lost time, lost money and lost productivity - combine this with late flights and Much Narrower sitting conditions I am now  Rethinking my long time use of Southwest - I guess Bigger is Not Better!