In-flight Wi-Fi connectivity has become an increasingly sought-after perk of air travel and, according to new research, demand is actually higher in Europe and the Middle East than in the US.
Some 80 per cent of air passengers in Europe and the Middle East would like to be able to use Wi-Fi on their flights, despite there being fewer connected aircraft operating in these regions, the research Aero communications firm Gogo found.
Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo's chief commercial officer, said: "There is a large discrepancy between the US and Europe and the Middle East in terms of the number of planes connected. In the US, it's becoming rare to fly without Wi-Fi. Outside the US it's very rare to board an aircraft that has Wi-Fi.
"Our global research shows that, despite a dearth of connected aircraft, the appetite for these services create a significant opportunity for the airlines in these markets."
Flexible working has been heavily cited as a way for companies to increase efficiency, and the uptick in demand for ubiquitous connectivity even when flying overseas possibly demonstrates the demand from professionals to be truly able to work from anywhere.
One fifth of passengers (up from 16 per cent since Gogo's study a year previously) actively search for Wi-Fi when choosing an airline to fly with. So it appears to be in the best interest of more airlines operating in Europe and the Middle East to begin providing the service to travellers.
Research participants came from seven countries across two regions, and have all taken a round-trip in the past year.
-
HPE just announced huge changes to its channel programsNews HPE has announced the launch of HPE Partner Ready Vantage, a new unified channel program designed to help partners unlock new growth opportunities.
-
Customer service workers were first on the AI chopping block, but now enterprises are backtrackingNews While businesses have been keen on replacing customer service workers with AI, adoption difficulties mean many are now backtracking on plans.
-
Stansted IT glitch causes thousands to miss their flightsNews Eight hour outage causes chaos at UK’s fourth busiest airport
-
Non voyage: Coronavirus, Brexit and the future of business travelIn-depth The current pandemic and the UK’s impending departure from the EU could have grave consequences for corporate travel
-
EE comes out top of mobile networks at Gatwick and HeathrowNews RootMetrics tested mobile network data speeds around the UK, but they have never been measured at airports before
-
Virgin Atlantic 'to create motion sensor cabin with Xbox Kinect'News Microsoft to help airline create tech-savvy flight experiences
-
Emirates want to make airline Wi-Fi free for allNews The airline says it faces a number of hurdles before the service can be offered at no cost
-
Government promises faster Wi-Fi on trains by 2018News £90 million will be invested, part-funded by fines imposed on National Rail for poor service
-
British Airways to implement on-board Wi-Fi on domestic routesNews In-flight internet will be available within the next three years using satellite technology
-
Business flyers find Wi-Fi more important than foodNews Business travellers in airports don’t want first class restaurants – they just want a decent Wi-Fi connection.
