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73to91
16th Dec 2011, 04:14
Gee, imagine QF trying something new :rolleyes:


Spurred on by rival airlines outlining their race to equip passenger jets for inflight wi-fi, Qantas today announced a trial of wi-fi internet connectivity in six of its Airbus A380 superjumbos for first and business class passengers, commencing in February.

The technology will allow passengers to connect to the internet on wi-fi enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops on the route between Australia and Los Angeles.

The technology will enable passengers "to communicate online from the 35,000 feet,” said Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce.

"Our customers will be able to access the internet via their wi-fi enabled personal electronic devices, such as iPhones, iPads and BlackBerrys, on Qantas for the first time," he said.

The wi-fi system, provided by IT services company OnAir, runs on Inmarsat's "SwiftBroadband" technology that uses satellite links from the aircraft to beam the data back to ground networks.

Qantas says passengers can access the internet, including emails and browsing websites, "in exactly the same way as a terrestrial wi-fi hotspot".

That means whipping out the credit card on board to buy a browsing data pack and logging on. No pricing has been released yet.

Ordinary voice calls to or from mobile phones in the aircraft aren't part of the service, a spokeswoman confirmed. Facetime or Skype video calls are excluded too, as the inflight system does not have so-called "pico cells", the devices that carry voice data, the airline said.

Qantas will evaluate the customer experience as part of an assessment of next-generation technologies and connectivity options.

Emirates also announced it would be using the same technology on its A380s, allowing wireless internet access on flights between Australia and Dubai.


Yesterday, Virgin Australia announced a deal with Lufthansa Systems (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/virgin-emirates-unveil-future-of-inflight-entertainment-20111215-1ow9g.html) to develop wi-fi connectivity with media-streaming capability to passenger's mobile devices and laptop computers. But this technology would only be for streaming inflight entertainment, not inflight internet and email access.


Read more: Qantas announces inflight wi-fi for trans-Pacific flights (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/qantas-announces-inflight-wifi-for-transpacific-flights-20111216-1oy31.html#ixzz1gfhHrJYa)

Keg
16th Dec 2011, 04:50
Imagine now if they'd been innovative and done this on their own instead of having to respond to their competitors actions. It's the same reason that you still see the 767 going to/from HNL.... because that's what the competition uses with the same IFE ('90s video screens in Y and tiny in seat video- not on demand- in J). When the competition changes up to an A330 with in seat IFE, QF will send their A330 there- or withdraw completely. :ugh:

Jack Ranga
16th Dec 2011, 05:33
What a pathetic bunch of reactive ar$e clowns............

Seriously? So you sit on your fat, dumb ar$e, intentionally running your product into the ground, the end game, shafting your employees. But hang on, ****, we can lose some serious business here. Rather than just giving the appearance of not being able to compete, we really can't. And you don't think the consumer is gonna figure it out?

Stupid, non-Australian gimp..............

Short_Circuit
16th Dec 2011, 07:04
pathetic bunch of reactive ar$e clowns
You got it in one, that is our problem in one sentence.

Silverado
16th Dec 2011, 07:06
QF A380's have all been prewired with WiFi antenna's by Airbus at manufacture.

QF planned to offer inflight internet on the A380 years ago,

Inflight internet takes off in Qantas(02 July 2008) (http://apcmag.com/inflight_internet_takes_off_in_qantas_a380.htm)

Perhaps there were other issues involved, maybe this "Currently up to two channels per aircraft over a high-gain antenna (from October 2011 four channels will be available)" (http://www.inmarsat.com/Services/Aeronautical/SwiftBroadband/default.aspx?language=EN&textonly=False) has had a bearing on the decision.

ohallen
16th Dec 2011, 07:30
Yes but they announce it one day after DJ, so guess we have a change in rat strategy from "bury it" to "catch up".

They are merely just continuing mind games while they grind the bulk of the fleet offshore or into the desert.

The sad part is that they may actually think this will change customer perceptions and yet again we have mainstream press going with the media release and ignoring the competition.Atleast the media unit seems to be earning their keep.

Silverado
16th Dec 2011, 07:43
Yes but they announce it one day after DJ, so guess we have a change in rat strategy from "bury it" to "catch up".

QF 15 SEP 2011 Qantas customers first in the world to experience new inflight entertainment system (http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/au/publicaffairs/details?ArticleID=2011/sep11/5179)

DJ 14 DEC 2011 Virgin Australia Unveils First Phase Of Inflight Entertainment Plans (http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/about-us/media/2011/U_022619/)

So who is playing catch up?

Lufthansa Systems to deliver the QStreaming

Virgin Australia group of airlines is collaborating with industry leader, Lufthansa Systems, to develop a state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system using Wi-Fi technology delivered to personal, hand-held devices on its aircraft.

fishers.ghost
16th Dec 2011, 08:10
As from March 2012 Hawaiian Airlines will introduce an Airbus between HNL and SYD.It will be a daily service which will connect with Hawaiian's new service from HNL and JFK
No more clearing customs in LAX on the way to New York.
Yahoo!!

QF94
16th Dec 2011, 09:39
As from March 2012 Hawaiian Airlines will introduce an Airbus between HNL and SYD.

Jet* have been using the A330 for a few years now, while QANTAS are still flying 767's three times a week, but have increased it to four times a week recently. I doubt that QANTAS will fly the A330 to HNL before pulling out all together, even though the flights are almost full every flight.

fishers.ghost
16th Dec 2011, 10:31
Even though Hawaiian currently flies 767s to SYD the product is superior to that of both QF and Jetstar.
Hawaiian is less expensive than Jetstar to boot.
Jetstar as a LCC is a myth.
Qantas continues to make money on its HNL route much to the surprise of QF management.
The groundstaff in HNL are exceptional.

Conductor
16th Dec 2011, 10:44
The groundstaff in HNL are exceptional.


They certainly are, they're brilliant.

whatever6719
16th Dec 2011, 11:40
Just read in current Cabin Crew news that around 4 or 5 767's (current
International config along with one other domestic config) are getting
Panasonic IFE installed. These must be what the company intends to use on the HNL flights for the time being. Mentioned they will be in place by early 2012.

aveng
16th Dec 2011, 13:29
There are varying levels of Panasonic installation - dont forget the current system on the 767RR is Panasonic too. Do they state whether it is going to be full AVOD?

ditzyboy
16th Dec 2011, 20:43
The article specifically mentions the removal of the current hardware and individual screens in J. The existing Panasonic broadcast system as seen on the ZX series will be the replacement. 'Customer Experience' are researching(WTF?) offering individual DVD players to J customers.

surfside6
17th Dec 2011, 01:24
I tried for two years to have some personal DVD players loaded for kids who couldnt see the screen on a 767.
I was told it was a weight problem.I suggested removing two cases of splits to compensate.The suggestion was met with a blank stare.
Hawaiian have this great portable entertainment unit preloaded with games and movies for kids.Battery life is 12 hours.Why can't Qantas do that ?
I couldn't cop this "can't do'' attitude any more took VR and left.I start with Virgin early in the New Year working on the ground.The attitude there is very much "can do"!!!

mmurray
17th Dec 2011, 06:06
QF A380's have all been prewired with WiFi antenna's by Airbus at manufacture.

QF planned to offer inflight internet on the A380 years ago,

Yep I remember being on one back around 2008 and being able to connect to the wifi from my phone. But there was no connection to the internet.

Michael

Short_Circuit
17th Dec 2011, 06:55
The existing Panasonic broadcast system as seen on the ZX series will be the replacement. exactly that and nothing more.:{

blueloo
17th Dec 2011, 07:41
Even though Hawaiian currently flies 767s to SYD the product is superior to that of both QF and Jetstar.

Latest report I had is that their 767's appear more clapped out and crappy than ours. Service made QF look good.

Whilst are 767 fleet is pretty old and tatty, apparently it is still better than some.

surfside6
17th Dec 2011, 08:33
I have travelled on both and I reiterate that the 767s of Hawaiian are in much better shape than QF..The interiors are colourful and contemporary.It must be at least 10 years since QF 76s had a makeover.
The Qantas CC try hard but spend the first two hours of a sector apologizing for the aircraft interior and lack of modern IFE.Most kids travelling on holidays can't see the bloody Video screen.At Christmas for example there can be 20 to 30 children under the age of 10 travelling...its challenging.
it also helps that Hawaiian have an extra 2 CC...nothing is rushed
Qantas was once an industry innovator always ahead of the curve.They invented Business Class.Now they barely know how to play catchup.
Hudson Fysh would be apoplectic to see what has been done to his creation

Rollingthunder
17th Dec 2011, 11:23
Wi-Fi is pretty cheap after initial hardware installation yet QF can't extend the service to economy. Hey, charge 10 bucks. Do they have a marketing department or a sane marketing department? I have dealt with them in various capacities over the years and in some aspects they have quite Victorian ways of going about things.

Jack Ranga
17th Dec 2011, 21:50
I thought the gimp said there would be no more investment in international until it showed a return?

So why is the gimp investing in this?

-438
17th Dec 2011, 23:11
What AJ says & what he does are two different things.
QF domestic is the most profitable part of the Group.
Despite this there is no new wide body aircraft planned for the domestic operation. Only a few used A330's that only fit on a few bays domestically.
The only widebody investment for domestic includes running ancient gas guzzling 747's across the continent and a possible upgrade to ancient gas guzzling 767's IFE.

another superlame
17th Dec 2011, 23:23
He isn't investing. The aircraft were already fitted with it from the factory. All they are doing is turning it on. It was ready to use on day 1 of revenue service back in '08. Although it would have been slow.