In-Flight Wifi - Issue

[LindseyD]

Hi @LUV-SWA,

We're looking into the VPN situation. We've got our Technology Team investigating and working to resolve the issue. I'm sorry for the frustration it's created for you in the meantime, it's certainly understandable. 

[jmcturnan]

I would like an update on the VPN issue.  The pattern is too repeatable for this to be anything other than Southwest actively disconnecting VPN connections.  I have had this problem for the last year at least.  

As another poster said everytime I try to see if its fixed..."another $8 down the drain".  Please update your policy or, reinstate the capability.

[ispcolohost]

Yet another "me too".  Two different planes today, both would not pass IPSec packets, i.e. VPN doesn't work.  Makes the wifi nearly useless to me since I can't connect to my work email or messaging.  I was able to get remote desktop for a few minutes but then it stopped connecting; perhaps something learned and blocked?  The RDP port is no longer open for tcp although I can still ping the destination host successfully.

This situation is just horrid for business travelers, and has been for years.  

[LUV-SWA]

Hi Lindsey -

It's been three months since you responded indicating the Technology Team is investigating and working to resolve the issue.  May we please get an update?  The issue has not gotten any better.

[chgoflyer]

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@LUV-SWA wrote:

Hi Lindsey -

It's been three months since you responded indicating the Technology Team is investigating and working to resolve the issue.  May we please get an update?  The issue has not gotten any better.

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"We're working on a fix" means basically nothing. The very long list of issues that Southwest needs to fix would take even a competent IT department quite a while to address. Don't expect anything quickly. 😞

[lgb1]

Yes, not too quickly.

October 2017...still not working.

Great airline, seems odd this is an issue in 2017.  I would have figured SWA to have a strong IT department...but maybe since they have their roots as a "no frills" type of airline...

[chgoflyer]

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@lgb1 wrote:

Yes, not too quickly.

October 2017...still not working.

Great airline, seems odd this is an issue in 2017.  I would have figured SWA to have a strong IT department...but maybe since they have their roots as a "no frills" type of airline...

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Sadly, no. Southwest is notorious for antiquated IT implementation.

[Joe021545]

' Ping. September 2017 - any updates with respect to VPN on WiFi on Southwest flights? Appears to still be blocked/broken for me. When I try to use Cisco AnyConnect to connect to my corporate network I can make the initial connection, but then my connection to the Southwest WiFi network on the plane is broken, meaning I don't have any internet access so everything stops working. Soon as I disconnect from VPN things are working again. In today's world, especially when you have to pay extra for the wifi, the VPN capability should really work. '

I travel nearly every week, often with a group of colleagues and we all have the same issue.  Can we please get an update to the thread?  Would you like to have a user group help walk you through the problem?  There has been several posts that accurately describe the challenges.  Is this issue logged as a low severity?  Would a twitter campaign help bring attention to the size and scope of the defect to help get the appropriate level of attention?

Please reach out soon as it is extremely important to many of us that luv the airline. 

[LindseyD]

@ridgeway,

I don't have any updates, which I know is of little comfort, and I'm sorry. I know that our Marketing and Technology Departments are aware that the slowness of the WiFi is deeply concerning for our Customers, and I'm certain they are working to resolve the issue. If updates become available, I will certainly share them here. 

[denno]

Lindsay, it's not just "slowness" (though it is that too), so often it's not available at all.

Denno