5 ms·

Isn’t this already here? ~5 years ago I remember watching Netflix, playing rocket league and remotely accessing as unix server during a flight.

mciancia 6y ago
I tried using WiFi on intercontinental flights on Lufthansa in 2018/2019 aaand it was IMO unusable for anything besides text messaging. Maybe depends on what kind of tech is installed on plane, but there is definitely space to improve it.
ketamine__ 6y ago
It's possible to cache NetFlix shows before you get on the plane. Ideally before the airport too since they appear to throttle it.
- rlt 6y ago
  I’m kind of surprised Netflix doesn’t partner with airlines to put mini Open Connect Appliances on planes and sell Netflix subscriptions per flight (if you don’t already have a subscription).
collias 6y ago
In my experience, flying over oceans or less populated areas on the US reduce the speeds to a crawl, if you get any connection at all. It's different for every airline, but I believe the system for Southwest just uses signals from cell towers, which is spotty at best.
- tjohns 6y ago
  This hasn't really been true for a couple years now. Most of the major US airlines have been migrating from cellular to Ka- or Ku-band satellite internet over the last few years. (Including Southwest.) There's some individual aircraft that haven't been upgraded yet, since installing the satellite antenna is a major upgrade. But at least on my flights, most offer it now.
madeofpalk 6y ago
Depends on airline and, mostly, where your flight is. For international longer-haul flights satellite coverage can be rough for airlines - at least a few years ago when I was familiar with it airlines had either global coverage, but slow, or smaller coverage but fast. It'll be interesting if Starlink can solve this for fast-moving planes for airlines like Qantas that fly from Aus to Europe, Asia, and America.

mciancia 6y ago

I tried using WiFi on intercontinental flights on Lufthansa in 2018/2019 aaand it was IMO unusable for anything besides text messaging. Maybe depends on what kind of tech is installed on plane, but there is definitely space to improve it.

ketamine__ 6y ago

It's possible to cache NetFlix shows before you get on the plane. Ideally before the airport too since they appear to throttle it.

rlt 6y ago
I’m kind of surprised Netflix doesn’t partner with airlines to put mini Open Connect Appliances on planes and sell Netflix subscriptions per flight (if you don’t already have a subscription).

collias 6y ago

In my experience, flying over oceans or less populated areas on the US reduce the speeds to a crawl, if you get any connection at all. It's different for every airline, but I believe the system for Southwest just uses signals from cell towers, which is spotty at best.

tjohns 6y ago
This hasn't really been true for a couple years now. Most of the major US airlines have been migrating from cellular to Ka- or Ku-band satellite internet over the last few years. (Including Southwest.) There's some individual aircraft that haven't been upgraded yet, since installing the satellite antenna is a major upgrade. But at least on my flights, most offer it now.

madeofpalk 6y ago

Depends on airline and, mostly, where your flight is. For international longer-haul flights satellite coverage can be rough for airlines - at least a few years ago when I was familiar with it airlines had either global coverage, but slow, or smaller coverage but fast. It'll be interesting if Starlink can solve this for fast-moving planes for airlines like Qantas that fly from Aus to Europe, Asia, and America.