What’s Switzerland doing?: Lufthansa offers free WiFi on European routes

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Reinhard Mey once sang, “Freedom should be limitless above the clouds.” But when it comes to free internet access, this is still far from the case today. For years, most WiFi offerings over the clouds were paid and generally not cheap.

But things are changing. Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and Delta Air Lines (to name just the companies flying to Switzerland) already offer free Wi-Fi on almost all flights. The only condition: You must be a member of the frequent flyer program.

Germany’s Lufthansa followed up with an announcement today: From mid-January 2024, the crane airline will offer unlimited “free messaging” on its short- and medium-haul flights. Travelers can send and receive as many messages as they want, including photos, via their smartphones or tablets during the flight on Airbus A320 family aircraft with Wi-Fi access.

Tariffs for all other internet packages on the ship will also be discounted by almost 50 percent starting from mid-January. Here too, what is required for internet use: membership in the Miles & More program with four flights or an e-mail address registered with the Lufthansa Group Travel ID. People who fly Switzerland regularly usually have one.

Switzerland is still thinking

What about Switzerland? It introduced free ‘free texting’ on long-haul flights in August this year. This means that on Messenger services, the service is limited to text and image messages. There are paid offers for services that require larger data volumes.

Wi-Fi is available on long-haul aircraft Airbus A330, A340 and Boeing 777. However, the European routes served by smaller aircraft do not yet have internet. In response to Blick’s question, a Swiss spokesperson explains: “We are also considering equipping our short-haul fleet with internet access, but no decision has been made yet.”

At sister company Edelweiss Air, Edelweiss’s own entertainment program at least includes free Wi-Fi. But there is no freely accessible internet.

In any case, Switzerland will not be able to wait long. Quality airlines increasingly expect internet access everywhere, even above the clouds, even if just for texting.

Source :Blick