Inflight Entertainment
Reliable WiFi determines passengers’ airline choices
High quality onboard WiFi is vital for both retaining and attracting customer loyalty, said a recent industry survey.
September 1st 2016
A study by diversified aerospace technology and manufacturing conglomerate, Honeywell Aerospace, has warned airlines they risk losing customers if their onboard WiFi disappoints passengers. Read More »
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| More than 90% of passengers want quality WiFi available for their entire airline journey |
The survey of more than 1,000 flyers was done in the U.S., but the findings reflected a worldwide trend, including the preferences of airline travelers in the Asia-Pacific, Honeywell said.
The Honeywell Aerospace Connectivity 2016 Survey was conducted by analysts, Kelton Global, last April and published in July. It found passengers were more frustrated with current inflight WiFi than they were in 2014.
Nearly three out of every four passengers would switch airlines if another carrier offered faster and more reliable WiFi. Additionally, the survey said, passenger annoyance was growing. In the last 12 months, 22% of passengers said their inflight WiFi was extremely reliable, compared with an approval rating of 27% in 2014.
The Honeywell survey said airlines must deliver high standard IFE WiFi because:
• Travellers expect reliable onboard WiFi connections to keep in touch with friends and family, complete work or be entertained. In 2016, more than one in five (21%) of survey respondents abandoned their preferred airline for one with better onboard WiFi, an increase of 4% over 2014.
• Inflight service is clearly a top priority for passengers and influences the flight bookings of 68% of airline travelers.
• Six in 10 travelers said they would most likely feel disappointed or frustrated if they travelled on a plane that did not have inflight WiFi.
| 'Passengers are serious about getting the best inflight WiFi experience possible. To avoid losing passengers and revenue, airlines need a connectivity service that is reliable all the time, no matter where they fly' |
| Carl Esposito Vice president, marketing and product management, Honeywell Aerospace |
• Eighty four per cent of respondents want an inflight WiFi service that matches the quality of their work and home WiFi.
• Most travelers said a reliable WiFi connection has to be available for their entire journeys (90%) and be fast enough to stream audio or video from sites like YouTube and Netflix (83%).
• Millennials, who are born between 1982 and 1999, are the most connected generation to participate in the survey. They also are the first full generation to grow up in the digital age with news, entertainment, commerce and social networks at their fingertips.
• If airlines want to earn the business and loyalty of Millennials, one of the largest consumer groups worldwide, they must offer the best global in-flight WiFi service.
• More millennials than older generations - 73% versus 63% - said WiFi availability influenced the flights they book and they want speed to stream content (89%). More than one in four Millennials (27%) had switched from their preferred airline to an airline with better in-flight Wi-Fi options.
