Business Productivity: Wi-Fi in the Sky

Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC|February 24, 2015

The friendly skies are becoming more productive for business travelers. According to the latest tally, Internet access is available on approximately one-third of all domestic flights. When flying globally, Wi-Fi is available on nearly one-quarter of all flights.

Business Productivity: Wi-Fi in the Sky

The friendly skies are becoming more productive for business travelers. According to the latest tally, Internet access is available on approximately one-third of all domestic flights. When flying globally, Wi-Fi is available on nearly one-quarter of all flights.

“Wi-Fi is one of the most sought-after new amenities fliers want to access on their flights, and there has been significant investment by airlines since our last report,” according to Routehappy CEO Robert Albert.

Of course, flyers should be warned that the quality of Internet access in the air does not typically live up to what we are used to on land. Just like in-flight television, Internet access can go out unexpectedly. Connection speeds are also known to be slow, particularly on cross-country flights where a lot of passengers may use the service.

While some airlines offer free Internet connection, passengers also need to understand checking your email or surfing the web will likely come at a cost. Some airlines charge a flat rate, while others charge by the hour. Many also cap the data you can use without incurring additional charges. Last year, a passenger traveling from London to Singapore unwittingly racked up Wi-Fi charges of $1,171.46, according to Today.com.

As Nick Bilton recently lamented in The New York Times, “You could chalk this up as another first-world problem. Sure, that’s valid. But here’s my main issue with Slow-Fi: Airlines and in-flight operators charge a fortune to use it. If you’re going to offer a service that barely works, shouldn’t it be priced accordingly? Perhaps free with a small bag of peanuts.”

When the airlines first introduced Wi-Fi in 2008, only the most serious business travelers used their laptops in-flight to connect to the Internet. Now, any given flight from Boston to Los Angeles will have 70 users, according to Anand Chari, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Gogo, which provides Internet service on airlines like Delta and Virgin America.