Cathay Pacific adds complimentary wi-Fi in Business Class

A few months ago, Cathay Pacific began testing complimentary Wi-Fi in business class. Now, there’s a significant update as the airline has expanded this service on a larger scale, as reported by Executive Traveller.

Cathay Pacific's new business class (Source: Cathay Pacific)

Cathay Pacific Introduces Free Business Class Wi-Fi

As of September 2024, Cathay Pacific has officially rolled out free Wi-Fi in business class on all aircraft equipped with this service. Wi-Fi is available on all Airbus A350s and Airbus A321neos, with most Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s also offering connectivity (though not all).

Earlier this year, Cathay Pacific announced its plans to provide free Wi-Fi in business class. The trial began in June on one Airbus A350, allowing the airline to study how offering free service impacted both usage patterns and connection speeds.

Cathay Pacific's internet coverage (Source: Cathay Pacific)

Cathay Pacific has provided complimentary Wi-Fi in first class for years, but only a small percentage of its fleet has this cabin. Extending free Wi-Fi to business class is a welcome change. Additionally, by November 2024, the airline plans to offer free Wi-Fi to its Diamond-tier frequent flyer members (though this benefit will not extend to oneworld Emerald members from other airlines).

For those without access to free Wi-Fi, Cathay Pacific typically charges between $10 and $20 per flight for unlimited data, while offering cheaper messaging passes.

The Growing Competitiveness of Inflight Wi-Fi

Inflight Wi-Fi has advanced significantly in recent years, both in terms of speed and affordability. Initially, having Wi-Fi onboard was a luxury, but now, speeds have improved, and more airlines are offering complimentary access in some form.

Cathay Pacific's in-flight Wi-Fi (Source: Cathay Pacific)

While many carriers still charge for Wi-Fi, some have started providing free messaging for all passengers and unlimited Wi-Fi for premium cabin travelers. For instance, Singapore Airlines offers free unlimited Wi-Fi to all KrisFlyer members, and All Nippon Airways provides it for first and business class passengers.

Cathay Pacific's in-flight Wi-Fi (Source: Cathay Pacific)

Cathay Pacific faces a challenge, as much of its fleet doesn’t yet offer high-speed Wi-Fi, which limits bandwidth. As the airline expands free Wi-Fi, more passengers will use it, potentially leading to slower speeds. Cathay Pacific may need to upgrade its Wi-Fi capabilities before extending free service to economy class passengers.

Conclusion

Cathay Pacific has now introduced free Wi-Fi for business class on all aircraft equipped with the service, following a trial period over the last few months. Additionally, the airline plans to offer complimentary Wi-Fi to top-tier elite members by the end of the year.