A Boeing 737-800. Photo: Boeing.

Qantas, working with ViaSat and nbn, Australia’s broadband network service provider, turned on free, gate-to-gate in-flight Wi-Fi on its ViaSat-equipped Boeing 737-800 aircraft. For weeks, Qantas, ViaSat and nbn have been conducting in-flight Wi-Fi tests on the trial aircraft, as they prepare to launch into production later this year.

Qantas encouraged the first in-flight Wi-Fi trial users to stream their favorite TV shows or movies; listen to their playlists; engage on social media; watch live sports; read the latest stories on various news magazine sites; and surf the internet.

The trial provides the opportunity for ViaSat to develop applications for passengers, cabin and flight crews, pilots and operational ground crews. For example, cabin crews can gain transfer information to ease passengers’ travel experiences; flight crews can access aircraft data to improve operations and maximize efficiencies during flight; and pilots can access more detailed live weather data, to make better use of tailwinds to reduce flying time.