Singapore Airlines Passenger Left with Huge Wi-Fi Bill

A Canadian passenger on a Singapore Airlines flight left us all with a valuable lesson last week after he racked up a whopping $1,171 bill for Wi-Fi connectivity on a flight from London to Singapore.

Mr Jeremy Gutsche was stunned to receive the bill after purchasing a 30 megabyte internet plan for less than $30. He unknowingly used his allowance and although aware that he would be responsible for charges beyond the 30MG usage, was shocked to realise that viewing 155 pages and uploading a PowerPoint document landed him with such a huge bill.

The provider of the onboard Wi-Fi connectivity service for Singapore Airlines, Swiss-based OnAir, argued that the charges offer ‘complete transparency’, and give passengers the choice to end sessions when charges reach a certain amount and graphic data usage displays consumption.

Mr Gutsche said, “Just because someone agrees to terms and conditions doesn’t mean those terms are ethical. I think the overage model is excessive and I can imagine someone like my mom, or a family, or a backpacker going aimlessly over.”

According to Euroconsult, satellite and communications consulting firm, just 6% of flight passengers use in-flight services – perhaps for this very reason. The demand for in-flight provision in the modern world is increasing and cost-efficient solutions are becoming a growing part of the competitive side of the business for airlines worldwide.