More and more airlines are offering Wi-Fi on the plane. (Symbolic photo) © IMAGO / Westend61
Wi-Fi on the plane has been quite expensive so far. Now the first airlines are offering the service free of charge. Lufthansa, on the other hand, refuses.
Berlin – Until now, it has been the rule that you can only use your mobile phone offline on the plane. At least if you don't want to pay horrendous prices for the Wi-Fi on board. With the German Lufthansa, you pay 25 euros on a long-haul flight for sending e-mails, messages and posts in social media. Streaming is not possible with it.
Lufthansa: Due to quality, Wi-Fi should remain chargeable
There is currently no prospect that this will change anytime soon. "In the air, the bandwidth is limited. The more people use Wi-Fi, the slower the transmission speed becomes," Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr told the FAZ. "For those who really need the Internet and are willing to pay for it, the quality of the connection then drops." The fact that the WLAN in the air is subject to a fee is also intended to ensure stability.
Singapore Airlines & Emirates: Wi-Fi for Data
Singapore Airlines takes a different approach. From July, all passengers – including those in Economy Class – will be able to enjoy free Wi-Fi in full as an inclusive service. The only requirement is that passengers must join the Krisflyer frequent flyer program. So this means an exchange of data for WLAN. Emirates also uses the website to get registrations for the bonus program. (ph)
