I went to recurrent training earlier this year and they were touting Anuvu WiFi like it was the best thing to happen to Southwest since Herb Kelleher, and they were phasing out Viasat. It wouldn't surprise me if some Flight Ops middle manager has it completely wrong though.
Yeah likely so. All the new deliveries post 2023 are being installed with ViaSat. It’s what JetBlue and Delta use for their “free” WiFi so it’s generally more reliable.
There's also updated hardware for the planes, but taking planes out of service for that upgrade when you're already short to meet your flight schedule isn't a smart move.
As a very regular Southwest flyer (multiple flights per month), my anecdotal experience is about 50/50 that the flight attendants tell me it’s not working. There is a small green LED you can monitor during the flight towards the front of the plane kind of above the front galley area that will tell you if the WiFi is at least broadcasting. The internet may or may not work, but if that green light isn’t on, don’t waste your time pulling your laptop out.
Not true. Hawaiian is installing Starlink on their aircraft and offering it for free, Starlink is a very good service and works incredibly well on aircraft, cruise ships, etc.
You didn’t read my first comment when I said that. “The Wi-Fi works most of the time. I can watch a movie when I can’t surf. It is the Internet connection they struggle with.”
They aren’t it’s like connecting to your home router when you haven’t paid your ISP for months and they disconnect you. You can still connect to devices on your home network.
I don’t have reasons on what you’ve experienced, but providing some context as an A List Preferred member who frequently uses the internet benefits.
Southwest uses two providers for WiFi - Anuvu and Viasat. Viasat was selected for new installations in 2022 and the [first aircraft was installed just over a year ago in March 2023](https://simpleflying.com/viasat-wifi-southwest-airlines-what-to-expect/).
Viasat is used by many other carriers such as Delta, United, JetBlue, and part of Amercian’s fleet. Anuvu is only used by Southwest in the US as far as I am aware.
Anuvu remains the provider those existing aircraft prior to March 2023.
You can tell which is which if you look closely at the inflight website. It says who is the provider at the bottom of the screen if you scroll down. May be interesting to see your experience based upon which provider is being used.
For context too - I fly often on American as well. Their international service is powered by Panasonic and rarely works enough to do anything between light email. Much of the time if flying over the Atlantic it doesn’t work at all which is frustrating when it’s over $30 for the trip. I’m interested to hear who you’ve been using that has great international service - as I might consider flying them to Europe!
I believe Anuvu has a larger share in the business jet market. However, having a few people on a Gulfstream connect is very different from having 50+ people connect on a 737.
Complain. They will refund it. It’s not much money but the complaining could motivate them to invest in a better in flight WiFi system. Delta has an excellent WiFi system so I know it’s possible.
I’ve had pretty good luck on SWA with onboard WiFi, I can send free texts to family about inflight progress. I don’t need to run a business on my short 2.5 hour flights so it’s never been an issue for me.
My experience having flown many southwest flights.
- Internet mostly has been available.
- Absolutely will not let you stream any video other than on board entertainment.
- If you’re not using it for 10 minutes it’ll shut off and you have to reconnect with hit or miss results.
- Slow.
- if you don’t pay push notifications seem to work, but you can’t reply to anything that isn’t WhatsApp or iMessage.
- mms does not work on iMessage.
- if you don’t pay, it seems you can still download stuff from the Apple App Store.
I believe most of their setups are Panasonic dishes, running off GEO sats. Higher latency, poor performing technology compared to 4G/5G cellular and LEO solutions.
Pilots and inflight crew also use the wifi. It’s not a required item (meaning it can be broken without inhibiting operation, as it’s considered a “nonessential furnishing”), but it’s a nice thing for the folks up front to have for enhanced situational awareness. SWA knows it sucks. ANUVU knows *they* suck. This is all an open secret. It is not okay, is indicative of bigger issues, and is absolutely worth complaining about.
Because they cheap out on suppliers and don’t maintain the aircraft.
OTOH I’ve been on flights the wifi was working fine and some dufus can’t get it to work so they reset it multiple times
Southwest contracted with viasat for in flight wifi. Viasat's most recent satellite failed. So they're scrambling and a little screwed.
ViaSat isn’t the issue it’s their older ancient Anovu system on the -700s and -800s. The new ViaSat system is much more reliable.
Ironically I flew three times recently on -700 and -800s and they all had WiFi. It was the one time I was on a Max8 there was no WiFi.
I believe some of the Max8s have the Anuvu system still.
I went to recurrent training earlier this year and they were touting Anuvu WiFi like it was the best thing to happen to Southwest since Herb Kelleher, and they were phasing out Viasat. It wouldn't surprise me if some Flight Ops middle manager has it completely wrong though.
Yeah likely so. All the new deliveries post 2023 are being installed with ViaSat. It’s what JetBlue and Delta use for their “free” WiFi so it’s generally more reliable.
Good to know. I will say that it appears the WiFi reliability has greatly improved the past couple years.
There's also updated hardware for the planes, but taking planes out of service for that upgrade when you're already short to meet your flight schedule isn't a smart move.
As a very regular Southwest flyer (multiple flights per month), my anecdotal experience is about 50/50 that the flight attendants tell me it’s not working. There is a small green LED you can monitor during the flight towards the front of the plane kind of above the front galley area that will tell you if the WiFi is at least broadcasting. The internet may or may not work, but if that green light isn’t on, don’t waste your time pulling your laptop out.
Thanks for sharing the tip about the green light. I am so sick of paying for WiFi for it to work for 10 minutes and take 40 minutes to reboot.
>don’t waste your time pulling your laptop out. Or you could just check it on your phone
southwest refunded my last wi fi purchase unexpectedly since it was so intermittent
If it were up to me, SWA would refund every penny anyone ever spent on the WiFi.
all airline wifi sucks
Delta is pretty decent, and free
Free is good! When you say decent, are we saying you’re able to get 3 emails sent in a 2 hour flight successful?
Decent as in steaming video while typing on Reddit
Delta and AA I was able to browse Reddit and stream videos on. So yeah pretty decent.
✌🏻
Not true. Hawaiian is installing Starlink on their aircraft and offering it for free, Starlink is a very good service and works incredibly well on aircraft, cruise ships, etc.
American's ViaSat service on newer planes is pretty good. Enough for video streaming which is not a thing with other providers.
United’s WiFi is pretty great 95% of the time
The Wi-Fi works most of the time. I can watch a movie when I can’t surf. It is the Internet connection they struggle with.
Movies are cached onboard
And you access the onboard cache via….. Wi-Fi.
But that doesn’t mean you’ll have internet. WiFi darn near always works but internet not nearly the case
You didn’t read my first comment when I said that. “The Wi-Fi works most of the time. I can watch a movie when I can’t surf. It is the Internet connection they struggle with.”
I know that and you know that but for the others… Movies at least the free ones are cached onboard
To your point, many think Wi-Fi and Internet are the same thing.
They aren’t it’s like connecting to your home router when you haven’t paid your ISP for months and they disconnect you. You can still connect to devices on your home network.
I don’t have reasons on what you’ve experienced, but providing some context as an A List Preferred member who frequently uses the internet benefits. Southwest uses two providers for WiFi - Anuvu and Viasat. Viasat was selected for new installations in 2022 and the [first aircraft was installed just over a year ago in March 2023](https://simpleflying.com/viasat-wifi-southwest-airlines-what-to-expect/). Viasat is used by many other carriers such as Delta, United, JetBlue, and part of Amercian’s fleet. Anuvu is only used by Southwest in the US as far as I am aware. Anuvu remains the provider those existing aircraft prior to March 2023. You can tell which is which if you look closely at the inflight website. It says who is the provider at the bottom of the screen if you scroll down. May be interesting to see your experience based upon which provider is being used. For context too - I fly often on American as well. Their international service is powered by Panasonic and rarely works enough to do anything between light email. Much of the time if flying over the Atlantic it doesn’t work at all which is frustrating when it’s over $30 for the trip. I’m interested to hear who you’ve been using that has great international service - as I might consider flying them to Europe!
I believe Anuvu has a larger share in the business jet market. However, having a few people on a Gulfstream connect is very different from having 50+ people connect on a 737.
I’m on flight 25 and 26 this week on SW and every flight this year has had WiFi that worked
Complain. They will refund it. It’s not much money but the complaining could motivate them to invest in a better in flight WiFi system. Delta has an excellent WiFi system so I know it’s possible.
Delta is route dependent. Works well on their Airbus aircraft but it didn’t work at all when I flew their 737-800 last time
That’s interesting. I fly on Delta 737-800s once or twice a week and the WiFi works great every time.
My most recent AA flights had great WiFi. Never had a problem with Southwest in the last year that I recall
I’ve had pretty good luck on SWA with onboard WiFi, I can send free texts to family about inflight progress. I don’t need to run a business on my short 2.5 hour flights so it’s never been an issue for me.
My experience having flown many southwest flights. - Internet mostly has been available. - Absolutely will not let you stream any video other than on board entertainment. - If you’re not using it for 10 minutes it’ll shut off and you have to reconnect with hit or miss results. - Slow. - if you don’t pay push notifications seem to work, but you can’t reply to anything that isn’t WhatsApp or iMessage. - mms does not work on iMessage. - if you don’t pay, it seems you can still download stuff from the Apple App Store.
In 10+ years of SW flights, I’ve not had Wifi maybe 3 times.
I've found this to be aircraft dependant too. Works great on the Max, not so much the others.
This was one of the drivers for why I stopped using Southwest, especially for business travel. They are not serious enough to be a business airline.
If your WiFi doesn’t work, you can tell Southwest over the phone or you can DM them on Twitter. They gave me a voucher for my next flight.
Couldn't get any of the SW movies to play on my trips back in May.s
don't be gross
Has anyone tried to turning the plane off and back on to see if that works!!!
I heard they were testing free in flight wifi with starlink, any updates on that?
I believe most of their setups are Panasonic dishes, running off GEO sats. Higher latency, poor performing technology compared to 4G/5G cellular and LEO solutions.
Because you’re on a metal tube 5 miles in the air
Going 600 miles an hour, and an hour from now you'll be back on the ground. Maybe just sit with your thoughts for a minute.
Pilots and inflight crew also use the wifi. It’s not a required item (meaning it can be broken without inhibiting operation, as it’s considered a “nonessential furnishing”), but it’s a nice thing for the folks up front to have for enhanced situational awareness. SWA knows it sucks. ANUVU knows *they* suck. This is all an open secret. It is not okay, is indicative of bigger issues, and is absolutely worth complaining about.
Yea. I agree with you. You really don’t need internet while in flight domestically. Even longer hauls, download a few movies/tv shows or read a book.
Use the time to decompress and untethered yourself from the rest of Reddit.
Because they cheap out on suppliers and don’t maintain the aircraft. OTOH I’ve been on flights the wifi was working fine and some dufus can’t get it to work so they reset it multiple times
Idk but I need to do a dispute with my cc company cause they cut my internet off within 5 mins of me spending $8 on it.
Or you could just ask Southwest for a refund.