Wi-Fi takes off with travelers

Wi-Fi Internet access could help airlines win over customers who are looking to stay connected while en route, a recent survey concludes.

(Credit: American Airlines)

According to a study published this week by Wakefield Research for the Wi-Fi Alliance, about 75 percent of frequent business travelers surveyed said they'd choose an airline based on whether the flight has Wi-Fi or not. Half of respondents said they'd even consider moving their reservation by a day to get on a flight that offered Wi-Fi. And more than 70 percent of those surveyed said they'd rather have Wi-Fi access on board a flight than a meal provided by the airline.

Since last year, several airlines have been adding Wi-Fi to their planes. Delta, American Airlines, Virgin America, Alaska Airlines, and AirTran are just a few that have already begun to offer the service. Southwest Airlines announced earlier this month that it plans to offer Wi-Fi on its planes starting in the first quarter of next year.

Typically, these services cost about $12 or $13 per flight. The survey did not take into account the cost of the service. But given the popularity of Wi-Fi hotspots in airports and in various restaurants and cafes, the price doesn't appear to be a major barrier.

The survey included 480 frequent business travelers, of whom 150 had used in-flight Wi-Fi in early August. About 95 percent of respondents said Wi-Fi access on a flight would make them more productive. And about half of those responding said they had often taken red-eye flights so they could be reached during business hours.

But the Wi-Fi Alliance emphasized that in-flight Wi-Fi is not just for business travelers. Other travelers also use the service. About 72 percent of those surveyed say they use it to check personal e-mail. About 49 percent say they use the in-flight Wi-Fi to surf the Web. And about 35 percent use it to stream video or music.

[lang0502]

The airline wi-fi should be coordinated with the aiport wi-fi services. It seems like a rip-off to pay $10 at the airport, then step onto a plane and pay $10 again, and step off at a new airport and pay $10 a third time just to get Internet access for a few hours in each case. Maybe a flat $20 fee for all airports and planes for a day?

[hbenamar]

I have not tried this while at the gate: do the planes keep the Wifi system online while parked at the gate? That would allow folks to remain connected without any additional capital investment: there is bound to be a plane not far off from a gate.
The service onboard is great. Decent speed. Got dropped a couple of times on a JFK-ATL Delta flight but worth the $10. It is now a battery issue on laptops!

[colindavies247]

Surely the customer can make a price value judgment
If you wish to use the system you know what the cost is likely to be.
Just be thankful you live in country that provides these wonderful
Tools

[sbv5220]

I suppose they will start charging an extra, $0.30, for every webpage you view.