In-Flight Wi-Fi Takes Off, Tops Other Airline Amenities

In-flight Wi-Fi access is fast becoming a highly valued airline amenity among frequent fliers and business travellers, who value it more than meal service, free movies and other perks, according to poll results released today by the Wi-Fi Alliance in conjunction with Wakefield Research.

Travellers stated they would be willing to make significant sacrifices or change travel plans to ensure Wi-Fi access while in-air: 76 percent would choose an airline based on the availability of in-flight Wi-Fi; 55 percent would shift their flight by one day if it meant having in-flight Wi-Fi; and 71 percent would opt for a flight with Wi-Fi access over one that provided meal service.

“Business and leisure travellers have long relied on Wi-Fi’s wide availability around the world to stay connected – and that is becoming an expectation in the sky as well,” said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. “We are excited to see numerous airlines offering in-flight Wi-Fi to passengers, and expect Wi-Fi will soon be as commonplace in planes as it is today in homes, businesses, and public areas.”

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The poll also illustrates that business travellers view in-flight Wi-Fi as an important tool to manage their workload. Forty percent said they view work-related travel as stressful and 64 percent said they feel ‘on the clock’ when they are travelling for work. In fact, 50 percent of business travellers frequently take a ‘red-eye’ flight because they must be reachable during business hours. However, 82 percent said in-flight Wi-Fi would help them stay on top of projects.

Among business travellers, who have not yet used in-flight Wi-Fi, 87 percent said they would check e-mail and 63 percent would log on to work-related systems such as sales and reporting tools if Wi-Fi were available on a future flight. Of the same travellers, 95 percent said Wi-Fi access would make them more productive.

“In-flight Wi-Fi will become a major productivity tool for business travellers, retention benefit for frequent flyer programs and a major revenue generator for the airlines, all during a downturn in the global economy,” says Berge Ayvazian, senior analyst for Yankee Group. “This survey demonstrates the pent-up demand for broadband Internet access in-flight and the wide range of potential business and personal applications.”

The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 480 frequent business travellers (ages 18 and older), including 150 frequent business travellers, who have used in-flight Wi-Fi, between August 11 and August 18, 2009. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.47 percentage points.