In its second annual survey, Honeywell Aerospace finds that inflight Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly influential on a passenger’s buying and wireless usage behavior, including flight selections and, in some cases, paying more for a specific flight.
Key findings:
- Inflight Wi-Fi availability influences flight selection for 66 percent of passengers
- Nearly one in four admitted they’ve paid more for a flight with Wi-Fi
- Almost half the respondents would be willing to give up another convenience for Wi-Fi that’s as fast as it is at home, such as enduring airport security twice
Connectivity is Crucial
The results indicate that fliers believe wireless connectivity should always be a part of the inflight experience, and it may even be viewed as a necessity:
- Inflight Wi-Fi availability influences flight selection for 66 percent of passengers
- Nearly one in four (22 percent) admitted they’ve paid more for a flight with Wi-Fi, and close to one in five (17 percent) have switched from their preferred airline because another carrier had better Wi-Fi offerings
- Demand is so strong that 37 percent would be upset if they didn’t have Wi-Fi access on their next flight, which is about the same amount (35 percent) as those who would be disappointed about not having food or drinks available for purchase
- Eighty-five percent would use Wi-Fi on most or all flights if it was free
Sacrifice for Speed
Constant accessibility is key, but passengers also desire fast connections that enable them to stream videos, live chat with friends and family, and download files quickly. Almost half the respondents would be willing to experience a travel-related inconvenience for Wi-Fi that’s as fast as it is at home. From this group:
- Over two in five (45 percent) of these people would endure airport security twice
- More than one in three (34 percent) would show up three hours before boarding time for superior speed
- Twenty-nine percent would even swap their ticket to fly standby on a plane with Wi-Fi that’s as fast as it is at home
Fun with Wi-Fi
The results asserted that air passengers demand constant and speedy Wi-Fi and also explored why passengers desire it so much. Consistent connectivity can enable productivity, entertainment and a little bit of fun:
- Thirty-nine percent received personal or general breaking news in-flight
- Close to one in five (19 percent) have used in-flight Wi-Fi to plan their next vacation
- Nine percent of respondents pretended they were in the office while on vacation
Fliers are keeping themselves entertained onboard with Wi-Fi and, interestingly, the survey found that over half (54 percent) say they would be embarrassed if an in-flight neighbor saw what they were doing for fun, including:
- Fifty percent would be embarrassed if someone saw them perusing a dating site.
- Thirty-two percent would be embarrassed if they were caught watching cat videos.
- Thirty percent would not want to be seen watching children’s movies.
Staying Connected with Honeywell
As demand for fast in-flight connectivity continues to grow, Honeywell has built a focus on providing a comprehensive portfolio of products and services, whether it is air-to-ground, L-band or GX Ka-band solutions, to meet the needs of regional and global customers.
About The Survey
The Honeywell Aerospace Wi-Fi Survey was conducted between June 6 and June 19, 2014, among 1,045 Americans age 18 and over who have used in-flight Wi-Fi in the last 12 months, using an email invitation and an online survey by Kelton, a leading global insights firm. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation.
Read more about the survey at Honeywell Aerospace.
