#SOUTHWEST AIRLINES NEWS ON MAX 8 UPGRADE#

In addition to upgrading the existing provider, Southwest will debut Viasat connectivity on its newly delivered Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft beginning in the first quarter.

Roach noted that the upgraded systems are already delivering noticeably better performance and reliability. Fleet-wide completion is expected before the third quarter of 2023. So far, 260 aircraft has been upgraded, and the airline plans to have 350 done by the end of January.

#SOUTHWEST AIRLINES NEWS ON MAX 8 UPGRADE#

He reiterated that the airline plans to upgrade its entire fleet of Boeing 737 with better Wi-Fi access.Įxisting planes will continue to be outfitted with Anuvu (formerly Global Eagle) connectivity, but pieces of the hardware, including the wireless access points, will be upgraded to deliver more bandwidth and lower latency. The airline is well aware of the problem, said Tony Roach, Southwest's vice president of customer experience and engagement. In recent years, one of the biggest complaints from Southwest frequent flyers has been the reliability of inflight Wi-Fi. Southwest plans to bring back all of its pre-pandemic frequencies in existing markets, which will hopefully help the airline win the business of some of its customers that are booking based on time and schedule. That's something that Watterson and the network team are working to address as the airline fully recovers. You may unsubscribe at any time.įor example, some routes don't currently have enough service for a business traveler to do a day trip leaving in the morning and returning at night. By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Southwest airlines news on max 8