Add CategoryQANTAS has revealed the insane process it takes to get its planes connected with fast and free Wi-Fi — an upgrade that takes a whopping 1900 hours to complete.
Behind the scenes video shows engineers in Brisbane modifying an Airbus A330 as in-flight Wi-Fi is rolled out across the domestic fleet.
The process involves installing about a kilometre of cabling in the ceiling of the aircraft, as well as a Viasat antenna that connects the plane to the internet, Qantas explained in its Roo Tales blog.
But it’s not just about installation — adding Wi-Fi to an aircraft also requires hours of tests on the ground and in the air before it’s ready for passengers to use.
The first A330 to be modified — QF6160 — has recently been on flights over Brisbane to test the safety of the installation.
Qantas has already begun rolling out in-flight Wi-Fi across its domestic Boeing 737 fleet.
The aircraft being upgraded in the video is the first of 12 domestic Airbus A330s to get the Wi-Fi treatment.
“By the end of June, we’ll have Wi-Fi on two domestic A330s and half of the 737 fleet,” Qantas said.
“By the end of this year, 75 per cent of the combined domestic 737 and A330 fleet of 80 aircraft will have Wi-Fi, with the remaining aircraft to be equipped during 2019.
“Once they’re all fitted, an estimated 15 million passengers a year will be able to stay connected in the air.”
Qantas said most passengers connected to in-flight Wi-Fi use it for web browsing, social media and to check and send emails.
“Connection speeds are routinely up around 12 mbps, which is more than enough to stream the latest movies and TV shows,” Qantas said.
The airline has introduced digital games such as Crossword, Sudoku and Trivia to the Wi-Fi portal, and passengers can get free access to audibooks and millions of songs through its partnership with Audible and Apple Music.