It’s a bit peculiar: Ironically, the newest planes in Lufthansa’s short-haul fleet do not offer internet access. The reason for this is that the wifi antennas are too heavy, causing the aircraft’s centre of gravity to shift too far back.
Now there is late but good news: Today it was announced that the installation of new, lighter wifi antennas will resume. By the end of 2026 or early 2027, all Airbus jets of the A320, A320neo, and A220 families should be equipped with wifi.
The Lufthansa Group pointed this out today in a press release. According to the announcement, more than 150 aircraft will be equipped with new antennas from Viasat. The installation will begin in the third quarter of 2024 and is expected to take about two years. Travellers will have to be patient for a few more years until reliable internet is available on flights within Europe.
Free Messaging & Internet Price Reduction
In recent months, there have been further developments regarding onboard internet for Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian. Since January, at least messaging services can be used for free within Europe, and the prices for other internet packages have been halved. Swiss goes even further and offers free messaging on long-haul flights:
Conclusion
The fact that Lufthansa is finally serious about equipping aircraft with wifi is positive news, although it comes rather late. Only from 2027 will internet access above the clouds be reasonably reliable, and even then, it seems that the Embraer jets will remain an exception.
Translated by Ditmar
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange