Southwest Airlines Eliminates Daily WiFi Passes

(CTN News) – The onboard WiFi charges at Southwest Airlines will undergo a controversial change in the near future. The current $8 day pass will no longer be available as of February 21st, and passengers will have to pay $8 per flight.

There has been no official announcement from Southwest Airlines, but an internal memo leaked earlier today on Twitter mentions the change.

The news has not been well received by passengers – the change from $8 per day to $8 per flight means that those with connecting flights will be required to pay multiple times for WiFi access.

Changes to the onboard WiFi service

Southwest Airlines will also continue to roll out ViaSat WiFi hardware across some of its Boeing 737 aircraft, in addition to removing the $8 WiFi day pass. Anuvu WiFi hardware will remain on the remaining aircraft of the low-cost carrier, although an upgraded version will be installed.

According to Southwest Airlines, the variation in WiFi hardware across its fleet, coupled with incompatible payment systems, is one of the reasons for charging per flight rather than per day for WiFi access.

Is the pricing comparable to that of other airlines?

Though Southwest Airlines’ updated pricing is disappointing for passengers, it remains in line with its US competitors – Alaska Airlines and United Airlines charge $8 for WiFi access as well.

Prices on American Airlines vary per flight, starting at $10, although frequent travelers may benefit from monthly subscriptions that provide a better value.

JetBlue, on the other hand, does not charge for WiFi on any of its flights. In addition, Delta Air Lines recently rolled out free WiFi on 80% of its domestic flights. Soon, this popular service will be extended to all domestic flights of the carrier, and by the end of next year, to all international flights as well.

Quite paradoxally, Southwest Airlines offers free checked bags and free seat selection, so removing the $8 WiFi day pass may be viewed as a step backward in the airline’s customer experience.

In addition, the company continues to embrace technology in other ways, such as the introduction of USB power at the seat, as described in this tweet from last year:

While it may be controversial, Southwest Airlines’ new WiFi charging policy is one way to recoup some revenue lost as a result of its December operational meltdown that resulted in over $400 million in losses.

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