میری پرواز میں انٹرنیٹ خوفناک تھا۔

میری پرواز میں انٹرنیٹ خوفناک تھا۔

ADVERTISEMENTNewsThe internet on my flight was terrible. Here's what I did to get a refundSean CudahySean CudahySenior Aviation ReporterSean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.July 24, 2022•6 min readThe cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view ouradvertising policy andproduct review methodology for more information."I'll be on a flight during the early afternoon, but will be reachable by internet."It's an assurance I gave my boss here at TPG when explaining my schedule for a recent Monday at work. Yes, I had a list of projects to finish, but — like many of my colleagues — I have plenty of experience getting work done at 30,000 feet.Of course, such productivity requires an internet connection.For the flight aboard Southwest Airlines from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Tampa International Airport (TPA), I paid the customary, $8 flat fee.Quickly, it became clear things would be spotty. Loading even a single webpage took forever. I pulled up an internet speed test on Google and the connection registered as "very slow."(Screenshot from Google)"OK," I thought. "Let's see if it improves when we climb to a higher altitude."It never did. Occasionally I was able to load a page or two, only to have things slow right back down. The connection got so bad later in the flight that the speed test wasn't even able to complete its scan.(Screenshot from Google)If you're a regular inflight Wi-Fi user, this is probably a familiar scenario for you, as the problems seem to transcend airlines and service providers.Personally, I've had flights where I've been able to load webpages, upload an article for TPG and stream music in the background. Sometimes, you get flights like this one.Daily NewsletterReward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletterJoin over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts"Glitchy and uneven." That's how managing editor of news at TPG Clint Henderson described inflight internet. Clint says he's had subscriptions over the years with Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and it works only about half the time. He's had even worse luck trying to get internet working on international flights."I've tried to use international inflight Wi-Fi on numerous occasions," he said. "Sometimes it's fine, but it's rarely great and a few times it's been completely unusable."Final approach aboard Southwest Airlines at Tampa International Airport (TPA). (Photo by Sean Cudahy/The Points Guy)Making it rightWhile I knew I couldn't get back that lost productivity, I figured it was worth at least trying to get my $8 back.(Screenshot from Southwest Airlines)After returning home, I went to Southwest's customer service page and submitted a complaint about the internet speed. I clicked on "Inflight Experience."(Screenshot from Southwest Airlines)I had to enter my Southwest account information and flight number and was able to explain what happened.(Screenshot from Southwest Airlines)It took a few days, but the airline came through. I actually noticed the $8 credit on my credit card before they got back to me.(Screenshot from Citi)Southwest emailed to apologize for the issue and noted that the airline is working on making onboard improvements."We're in the process of upgrading WiFi equipment on our existing fleet with hardware capable of providing a significant improvement in speed and bandwidth up to ten times the current hardware onboard," the email read.TPG has reported on steps Southwest has taken in recent months to make these upgrades, a process explored by other major airlines. Some Southwest customers even got treated to free Wi-Fi earlier this year while the carrier tested out new service.My colleagues have had mixed results when attempting to get a refund from an airline or an inflight internet service provider.Henderson said he's been able to get a refund from Gogo, a service provider, on a few occasions, but noted he finds the process a bit "cumbersome."TPG family travel writer Tarah Chieffi reported getting some pushback from the provider when her internet repeatedly disconnected on a recent flight. Ultimately, Tarah said Gogo offered her a one-time promo code to use for her next flight.Credit card writer Ryan Smith had luck getting a refund from United Airlines when the internet worked for just a fraction of a six-hour flight earlier this year. Finnair also issued him a refund when the service was out for more than half of a flight from Helsinki Airport (HEL) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.Points and miles reporter Kyle Olsen said he, too, had luck getting a refund when the internet malfunctioned on United. He said Emirates, though, turned down his refund request.(Photo by Sean Cudahy/The Points Guy)Bottom lineIf you pay for internet and it doesn't work for a significant portion of the flight — notably when you're at cruising altitude — it's at least worth taking a moment to submit a complaint. While not a guarantee, as I found, there's at least a chance you'll get back the money you paid for the service.This could be especially critical on some airlines, where the pricing for internet browsing access is much higher.Many airlines are looking into ways they can upgrade their inflight internet, but the reality for flyers on many carriers is that it's not always reliable.While there's certainly a chance you may be able to be entirely productive with your work while cruising tens of thousands of feet in the air, for the time being, I wouldn't promise your boss you'll finish a critical project while at 30,000 feet — at least not yet.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.ADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTTPG featured cardBest for businesses with high spendingCapital One Venture X BusinessApply for Capital One Venture X BusinessTerms & restrictions apply. See rates & feesTPG Editor‘s RatingOpen Editors ratingCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.4.5 / 5Go to reviewApply nowApply for Capital One Venture X Businessat Capital One's secure siteRewards2 - 10X milesdetails2X miles2 miles per dollar on every purchase5X miles5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel10X miles10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business TravelIntro offerLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesdetailsEarn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsAnnual Fee$395Recommended Credit740-850Excellentmore infoCredit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Why We Chose ItThe Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros & ConsProsThe Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.ConsThe card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel. More DetailsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 monthsEarn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictionsEarn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business TravelWith no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewardsEmpower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with easeRedeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programsEvery year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business TravelReceive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollmentEnjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier CollectionThis is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every monthApply nowApply for Capital One Venture X Businessat Capital One's secure siteTerms & restrictions apply. See rates & feesBest for businesses with high spendingCapital One Venture X BusinessTPG Editor‘s RatingOpen Editors ratingCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.4.5 / 5Go to reviewRewards Rate2X miles2 miles per dollar on every purchase5X miles5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel10X miles10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business TravelIntro OfferOpen Intro bonusEarn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee$395Recommended CreditOpen Credit score descriptionCredit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850ExcellentWhy We Chose ItThe Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)View MorePros + consMore DetailsProsThe Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.ConsThe card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel. LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 monthsEarn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictionsEarn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business TravelWith no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewardsEmpower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with easeRedeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programsEvery year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business TravelReceive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollmentEnjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier CollectionThis is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every monthgtm--featured-card-10186

---