You could say Southwest Airlines has some perks. Depending on the length of the flight, they serve snacks. They’re generous with checked bags. Oh, and they’ve got internet access.
Currently, through Anuvu, their sole internet provider, Southwest Airlines charges $8 per day to use wi-fi. In other words, on any given calendar day, no matter how many flights you’re taking with them, it’s just eight bucks to surf.
From 21 February, this pricing scheme will have gone the way of a Southwest Airlines flight at Christmas. The new internet fee structure will be $8 per flight. This announcement comes in tandem with the news that Viasat will the future internet service provider available for use. All aircraft should be Viasat-enabled by the 3rd quarter of 2023.
In spite of this news, the carrier’s IFE, or in-flight entertainment, will still be free to use, as long as passengers have their own devices.
Personally, having flown Southwest Airlines only a handful of times — with none of those flights being recent — I had to dig deep into the archives to whip out this 2016 “gem:”
There are a few reasons why I haven’t done much traveling with Southwest Airlines. One, they’re mostly a domestic United States carrier. For their international routes, they tend to stay in North America, which likely isn’t changing anytime soon. Two, unless you book that bogus “Business Select” option — fyi, they don’t have a business class — you will have to check-in as soon as the 24-hours before departure mark hits. Southwest Airlines doesn’t assign seats, so if you check-in too late, you might end up in a less desirable seat. Three, they have no airline partners. That last one is a paddlin’.
Have you found in-flight internet access to be improving? Do you think more carriers will take an Aeromexico/Delta approach, and allow free (up to a limit) texting?
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