(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Demand for Wi-Fi is now sky-high for passengers choosing an airline in the Middle East. A significant percentage of all passengers believe inflight Wi-Fi is a necessity not a luxury, according to the findings of a latest survey report released yesterday.
Inflight broadband is changing the airline industry and revolutionising passengers' expectations of the onboard experience. That is the conclusion from the third annual global Inflight Connectivity Survey, published yesterday by Inmarsat, the world's leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, in association with market research company GfK.
Overwhelmingly, passengers now expect the same levels of connectivity and access to online services whilst they are at 30,000 feet as they receive on the ground. As such, 60 percent of all passengers say that inflight Wi-Fi is now a necessity rather than a luxury. Over half (56 percent) of passengers in the Middle East who have experienced high-quality inflight Wi-Fi rate it higher on their list of priorities than inflight entertainment when choosing an airline.
With airlines in every market racing to install or upgrade their Wi-Fi offering, passengers will have a choice to opt for an airline that offers high-quality broadband, and will soon turn their back on airlines not offering this. Over a third of Middle Eastern respondents (36 percent) said they would stop using their preferred airline within the next year if it did not offer connectivity enabling them to stream or browse online without interruption.
The ability to connect to personal devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets now sits within the top three considerations when choosing an airline, behind ticket price and airline brand for 46 percent of Middle Eastern passengers who have experienced high-quality inflight Wi-Fi.
What's more, the ability to remain online and work during a flight is greatly improving passenger experience, according to more than half (56 percent) of all business travellers who have previously used inflight Wi-Fi.
The survey reflects the responses of 9,000 airline passengers from 18 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and North and Latin America, and is the largest global passenger survey of its kind.
Ben Griffin, Vice President, Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Inmarsat Aviation, said: 'High-quality inflight Wi-Fi is changing the way people think about flying and how they spend their time in the air. Whether using the time to work, to connect with friends and family, or to pass time shopping or viewing entertainment, the availability of inflight broadband has become a major factor when choosing an airline.
He continued: 'The annual Inflight Connectivity Survey has become a barometer for passenger sentiment. This year's survey reveals that 60 percent of passengers believe that inflight Wi-Fi is a necessity and no longer a luxury. This will only increase as more people experience inflight connectivity. It is clear the opportunity that connectivity presents to airlines cannot be underestimated.
Inmarsat is transforming the global aviation industry by bringing complete connectivity to every aircraft and flight path in the world. It is the first and only provider with a complete next-generation High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) network spanning the world.
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