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Demand for wi-fi goes sky-high

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Inflight broadband is changing the airline industry and revolutionising passengers’ expectations of the onboard experience. That is the conclusion from the third annual global Inflight Connectivity Survey, published by Inmarsat, the world’s leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, in association with market research company GfK.

Overwhelmingly, passengers now expect the same levels of connectivity and access to online services whilst they are at 30,000 feet as they receive on the ground. As such, 60 per cent of all passengers say that inflight wi-fi is now a necessity rather than a luxury. Over half (56 per cent) of passengers in the Middle East who have experienced high-quality inflight wi-fi rate it higher on their list of priorities than inflight entertainment when choosing an airline.

With airlines in every market racing to install or upgrade their wi-fi offering, passengers will have a choice to opt for an airline that offers high-quality broadband. Over a third of Middle Eastern respondents (36 per cent) said they would stop using their preferred airline within the next year if it did not offer connectivity enabling them to stream or browse online without interruption.  

The ability to connect to personal devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets now sits within the top three considerations when choosing an airline, behind ticket price and airline brand for 46 per cent of Middle Eastern passengers who have experienced high-quality inflight wi-fi.

The survey reflects the responses of 9,000 airline passengers from 18 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and North and Latin America, and is the largest global passenger survey of its kind.

Ben Griffin, vice-president, Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Inmarsat Aviation, said, “High-quality inflight wi-fi is changing the way people think about flying and how they spend their time in the air. Whether using the time to work, to connect with friends and family, or to pass time shopping or viewing entertainment, the availability of inflight broadband has become a major factor when choosing an airline.”

Ben added, “The annual Inflight Connectivity Survey has become a barometer for passenger sentiment. This year’s survey reveals that 60 per cent of passengers believe that inflight wi-fi is a necessity and no longer a luxury. This will only increase as more people experience inflight connectivity. It is clear the opportunity that connectivity presents to airlines cannot be underestimated.”  

The third annual global Inflight Connectivity Survey, published by Inmarsat, the world’s leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, in association with market research company GfK, shares some interesting findings.

• 81 per cent of Middle Eastern passengers would pay for inflight connectivity even on short-haul leisure flights, rising to 85 per cent for long-haul business flights.

• 59 per cent of Middle Eastern passengers agree that inflight wi-fi takes the anxiety out of flying because they can stay in contact with people on the ground.

• 36 per cent of passengers in the Middle East said they would stop using their preferred airline within the next year if they only offered poor quality wi-fi.

• Business flyers in the Middle East use wi-fi for both work and non-work reasons: 29 per cent browse the web, 37 per cent use social networks, 43 per cent email and 20 per cent use business tools.

• The Middle East has the highest volume of multi-device usage in all regions surveyed, with 66 per cent of inflight connectivity users connecting more than one device.

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