Page 68 - WTM Industry Report

World Travel Market 2017 Industry Report
WiFi on Planes
Two-thirds of British travellers are not prepared to pay for in ight wi access.
More than 1,000 British travellers were asked if they were willing to buy internet access on a ight. A resounding 67% said no.
However, there are some British travellers who are interested in being able to log on on-board. Nearly three in ten (29%) would be interested in the service on long-haul ights, with one in ten ready to pay on short-haul ights.
The UK-focused ndings from the WTM London 2017 Industry Report are in sharp contrast to the headline ndings from the 2017 In ight Connectivity Survey, produce by Inmarsat and
GfK. This study aggregated responses from 9,000 travellers in 18 countries and found that, overall, 77% of passengers would pay for in ight connectivity on short-haul ights with 89% willing to pay on long-haul ights.
Airlines have invested heavily in in ight wi capabilities for their eet. Some offer business and rst class passengers free access as part of the tickets, others make it available to frequent iers while others have a tiered pricing option. Overall, the pricing model varies by carrier.
The drive towards in ight access in Europe and the UK is being
led by the long-haul full service carriers. Virgin Atlantic recently announced that it is the rst airline in Europe to offer wi on all ights; BA is rolling out wi
on ights, including short-haul; and Emirates is committed to having wi on every plane it operates.
A recent study from the London School of Economics identi ed in ight connectivity as a medium-to long-term revenue growth line for airlines. Revenue from charging for broadband access alone is estimated to reach $15.9 billion by 2035, compared with $822 million in 2018.
Airline can also expect to earn money through advertising, e-commerce and destination shopping and by charging extra for premium content.
66