It only took a decade longer than it should have, but SWISS is finally lowering in-flight wi-fi prices to levels that are simply expensive and no longer exorbitant. It is a move in the right direction…
SWISS Wi-Fi Prices Drop From Absurd To Expensive, Free Messaging Added
I hinted at a glimmer of hope when I flew SWISS from Zurich to Warsaw on my way to Ukraine earlier this year and found the wi-fi was complimentary onboard. But that appeared to be an experiment wtih new service on the narrow body fleet which, like on Lufthansa, is a whole different provider and price point.
For years, purchasing wi-fi on SWISS has been the butt of many jokes. That is because SWISS charged based upon data usage at absurd levels, to the tune of CHF 9 for 20MB of data (a “high data” package of 220MB cost CHF 59).
But that changes on August 2, 2023, when wi-fi prices will finally drop to more reasonable levels:
- four-hour wi-fi pass – CHF 25 (about 29 USD)
- full-flight wi-fi pass – CHF 35 (about 40 USD)
Frankly, even these prices are too high, but represent a significant improvement over current levels.
Other positive changes include:
- free wi-fi for HON Circle and first class passengers (without data caps)
- free messaging for all passengers on popular apps
- video streaming will no longer be available (I label that positive because it will help better share limited bandwidth)
CONCLUSION
Kudos to SWISS for doing what should have done a long time ago. Part of me thinks SWISS deserves no praise for doing what it should have done years ago and still charging double what it should, but at least it is moving in the right direction, unlike Lufthansa which mind-bogglingly recently reintroduced data caps on longhaul flights.
Well done, SWISS?
image: SWISS
Absurd. Swiss wi fi isn’t strong enough to support streaming. I suspect that is why the prices for use are so high. To discourage everyone from connecting to their wi fi. I would begrudgingly pay for it if I needed to get work done though.
I’m wondering, Matt, since you travel often and perhaps may have relatives who are in economy while you (or someone else) is in first or business, did you invest in a wifi-repeater? They’re quite useful for this scenario: Someone with unlimited bandwidth can share to friends/family with them and also, it’s helpful that once you set up the repeater, you don’t ever have to set it up again such as if you’re in a hotel room with just one or two connections allowed.
Lmao! I did monthly payments for the Wi-Fi I bought flying ZRH-BOS.