Addendum
Install onboard WiFi or fade away warns Inmarsat
September 1st 2017
Two out of three airline passengers in the Asia-Pacific regard inflight WiFi as a necessity when they travel and rated it more highly than onboard inflight entertainment, a new Inmarsat survey has revealed. Read More »
The study, conducted with market researcher. GtK, found more than half of all airline passengers in China (59%) and India (51%) expected the same level of connectivity at 35,000 feet that they receive on the ground.
The third annual Inflight Connectivity Survey, which concluded inflight broadband is revolutionizing passengers’ onboard experience, also revealed that 52% of airline passengers in the region would stop patronizing their preferred airline in the next 12 months if it did not allow them to stream or browse online without interruption. Passengers in China (55%) and India (52%) are most sensitive to the quality of onboard WiFi services.
The ability to connect to smartphones, laptops and tablets (40%) is one of the three most important criteria for passengers, after ticket price (53%) and flight slots (44%), when booking airline travel.
In China, passengers expected the “Big Three” carriers to offer the best inflight Wifi and rated them in the following order: Air China (46%), China Eastern Airlines (22%) and China Southern Airlines (21%).
Inmarsat vice president, Asia-Pacific, Otto Gergye, said: “whether using the time to work, connect with friends and family or pass time shopping or viewing entertainment, the availability of inflight broadband has become a major factor when choosing an airline and the annual Inflight Connectivity Survey has become a barometer of passenger sentiment.
“This year’s survey revealed 67% of passengers in the Asia-Pacific believed inflight WiFi is a necessity, not a luxury. This trend will increase as more people experienced inflight connectivity. The opportunity connectivity presented to airlines cannot be underestimated. Airlines in the Asia-Pacific are recognizing this fact.”
The region’s passengers are among the most willing worldwide to pay for inflight WiFi, with 91% prepared to be charged for onboard connectivity on long-haul leisure flights and 79% on short-haul leisure flights. Some 61% of passengers who have experienced inflight connectivity in Asia consider it more important than inflight entertainment when selecting a carrier.
