The coincidence of Vistara ordering its first 787-9 Dreamliner and India’s Civil Aviation Authority unbanning in-flight Wi-Fi is somewhat uncanny.
Because one of the features of the wide-body Boeing aircraft is, you guessed it, Wi-Fi! The internet system is the courtesy of Panasonic and Nelco.
Indian Central Government mentioned framing new onboard Wi-Fi regulations in 2018. The following year saw contracts being handed over for service.
Now, after a two-year-long wait, passengers have access to in-flight internet. This is great news, especially if you like to carry your business everywhere you go.
What was the Reason Behind the 2-Year Wait?
Wi-Fi is everywhere. Cafes, restaurants, China, Italy, you get the picture. It spreads like coronavirus! Then why did it take so long for Airlines in India to give passengers in-flight Wi-Fi?
Cost is the reason. If you look at the financial status of the largest Indian carrier, Air India, you will observe billions in debt. No one wants the flagship carrier of India to end up like Jet Airways. The latter suspended all operations on account of bankruptcy.
This left the government with airlines that can actually survive in the aviation industry after incurring costs for in-flight Wi-Fi. May be, airlines such as IndiGo, which is the largest Indian Airlines by fleet size and a number of passengers.
However, the low-cost air carrier IndiGo was insistent on keeping air tickets cost low.
How In-Flight Wi-Fi Affects Airfare to India from the USA and other international destinations?
No one wonders about the mechanism behind the onboard internet while booking plane tickets from the US to India. The type of in-flight Wi-Fi service that an airline uses determines the flight ticket fare. Therefore, both are closely related.
So, are you aware of how airlines manage to give you in-flight Wi-Fi? There are two ways to make the feat possible. These are:
1) Ground-Based Wi-Fi:
An antenna is installed on the aircraft. In transit, it picks up signals from the nearest cell towers on ground. Hence, the name. This is similar to how mobile phones work.
The Air-to-Ground Wi-Fi turns the aircraft into a hotspot. There is one shortcoming to this method. It is futile while flying over large bodies of water.
If you fly long-haul transatlantic routes, ground-based Wi-Fi just won’t work. On the other hand, this type of mechanism is cost-effective. Therefore, airlines are able to offer cheap flight deals to India from the USA that includes in-flight Wi-Fi.
2) Satellite Wi-Fi:
And, then there is the more-advanced satellite Wi-Fi. This type of Wi-Fi gains connection from the many orbiting satellites. Placing an antenna in the fuselage of the aircraft allows it to catch signals from the ground stations.
This is possible since these ground stations are connected to satellites.
Through this type of Wi-Fi service, you can use two bandwidths. They are broadband and narrowband. As the name may suggest, the latter is not ideal for streaming movies, high-definition videos, and so on.
Therefore, if you bag a low-cost airline ticket deal including internet, check for the bandwidth.
Both kinds of services have their pros and cons, from a passenger standpoint. Satellite Wi-Fi has a wider reach. Therefore, the long-haul USA to India flight must go for it.
But, on the other hand, ATG (Air-to-Ground) Wi-Fi service is faster since the cell towers are closer to the aircraft than satellites in space.
Indian Telecom Biggies Score License to Provide Onboard Wi-Fi
Indian airspace is all geared up to allow passengers in-flight internet access. So much so, that Indian Telecommunication big-shot like Airtel has got the license to offer internet services midair.
Even the government-controlled BSNL has scored the same license. Once the ground infrastructure and approvals are in place, you will have connectivity onboard within this year.
Moreover, another Indian airline, SpiceJet has shown interest in providing onboard internet services.
Therefore, you will soon get in-flight internet services on the USA to India flight tickets deals. The same goes for major and popular international and domestic flight routes.
Benefits of In-flight Wi-Fi on India Flights
Once Telecom companies like Airtel and BSNL step up their game, a huge number of benefits for the passengers will come with it. Let’s discuss the most common ones:
1) International Carriers:
There are many airlines that currently offer onboard Wi-Fi. This includes American carriers such as Southwest, Delta Air Lines, and United.
In the Asia-Pacific region airlines like Air China, ANA, Singapore Airlines, etc. have been offering the service.
However, while in the Indian airspace, no air carrier was permitted to use the service.
After the lifting on the ban on onboard internet, such airlines will have the freedom to extend Wi-Fi service to the passengers.
2) Personal Communication:
Have you ever been on an international flight away from home with no connectivity at all? It seems like a nightmare. You are stuck inside an aircraft with no way to contact anybody.
Thanks to onboard internet, passengers can stay connected to their families and loved ones. You can send them your location in real-time, WhatsApp them, and more. Therefore, personal communication is amongst the most important benefits.
3) Business Communication:
A huge portion of US to India ticket bookings are made for business purposes. The USA and India are involved in a lot of business activities. Flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata transport countless business travelers.
Business communication is going to improve by great measures. Not having an internet connection is a huge loss, especially to business travelers. There is a risk of missing out on critical updates.
Suppose you have an important business phone call to attend, and the airline asks you to turn off your device.
Final Thoughts
Vistara’s latest addition to the fleet, the Boeing Dreamliner will be the first to offer in-flight Wi-Fi service within the Indian airspace. Once the ground infrastructure is ready, many airlines based in India will provide the internet on their flights.
Not only that, but international airlines can enhance the in-flight experience of their passengers as they fly across the Indian skies. Communication will improve, and airlines themselves will benefit from the service.
Pilots will be able to get updates on climate and geographical occurrences in real-time.