From having to switch off your mobile phone for reasons unexplained to the ability to stream Netflix from 35.000 feet, the experience of flying has transformed in recent years. Now, seven years after it was first announced, SWISS will join the list of airlines that offer internet on its short-haul flights.

SWISS to offer internet connection on short-haul

In a statement given to 20 Mintuen, SWISS will soon start to offer an internet connection on its short-haul routes to and from airports in Switzerland. 59 of its Airbus A220 and A320 planes will be converted to offer the service, with the new feature set to be gradually introduced from the winter of 2024-25.

The announcement is a long time coming, with SWISS first promising the internet service on short-haul flights back in 2017. According to 20 Minuten, while SWISS began to offer the service on its long-haul flights in 2016, “the COVID crisis, among other things” delayed its implementation on short-haul planes. 

Free text service to be paired with premium paid internet on-board

The internet will be provided via the European Aviation Network - a joint satellite and ground radio system which promises reliable connections in the skies across the continent. As part of the service, passengers will be able to send and receive unlimited text and image messages free of charge for the whole duration of the flight. 

However, people hoping that a cost-free binge of Swiss TV shows or films is just a few months away are set to be disappointed, with SWISS promising an email, social media and streaming package for a fee. While the company has not revealed how much the service will cost on short-haul, four-hour and full-flights, internet packages on SWISS long-haul flights cost 25 and 35 francs respectively.