Why In-flight WiFi Remains Unavailable On Indian Domestic Airlines
Vistara is the only Indian Airline with an in-flight WiFi service.
In Satellite WiFi, an antenna is installed on the planes, which receives signals from the satellite and provides internet service to the passengers.
WiFi may not be available inside aeroplanes in India, but many international airlines offer this facility. Many suffering from this problem often wonder the reason for the unavailability of the internet on flights. There are two ways to provide WiFi in an aeroplane. It depends on the budget of the airline and aircraft.
The two methods for WiFi service in aeroplanes include Air-to-Ground and Satellite WiFi. The Air-to-Ground method is like the internet on the ground on your phone. Under this technology, cell towers send WiFi signals towards the sky. These signals are caught by the receiver installed in the plane, which provides WiFi service in the aircraft.
The second method is satellite WiFi. In this technology, an antenna is installed on the planes, which receives signals from the satellite and provides internet service to the passengers. It is a new technology, but many airlines are adopting it rapidly. In both these methods, passengers get the facility of internet even during the flight, which makes the long journey even more comfortable.
Many international airlines provide in-flight WiFi facilities. In India, surprisingly, Vistara is the only company with this facility. The service is provided on international flights. Air India plans to start this facility on flights going to the United Kingdom. There is no buzz about starting WiFi service on domestic flights right now.
One of the major reasons for not enabling the WiFi services of Indian Airlines is that the government banned it in 2018. It was allowed in the same year. Despite this, a WiFi facility was not provided on domestic flights. The biggest reason for this is now the budget.
According to a report in The Hindu, it takes Rs 3-4 crore to prepare the entire setup to provide WiFi in flight. Fitting the antenna in the aeroplane takes about 12 hours. Apart from this, domestic customers are not ready to bear the burden of the cost being borne by the company. The airlines themselves also do not want to put this expense on them because they fear that they will lose their customers due to this expense. The Wifii that Vistara Airlines provides on foreign routes is free only for 20 minutes. After this, the passenger has to buy the internet. It is possible that if the customers can bear the cost of WiFi, then domestic airlines of India may also start the facility of in-flight WiFi.
