Internet connectivity is quickly becoming a priority for travellers when it comes to deciding which carrier to fly with, and airlines are rapidly responding to this as a new report reveals 70% now boast in-flight wifi.
The Inflight Connectivity Benchmark by Moment found that globally, connectivity is strongest among legacy airlines, at 89%. It’s the Americas leading the way in inflight connectivity adoption, with 92% of legacy fleets.
Some 71% of budget airlines are now connected, the latter far above the 43% global average. The region also stands out as the only market where budget carriers offer free wifi, highlighting a strong commitment to accessibility.
Locally, the Asia Pacific market is described as ‘mixed but fast- maturing’ in regards to connectivity, with 95% of legacy airlines now equipped. A notable aspect is that 19% of legacy airlines provide full free wifi well above the 13% global average.
In Europe, all legacy airlines featured in this study offered wifi, and 43% of budget carriers, with this region marked for the cost of wifi, with only 8% of airlines currently offering it for free.
Carriers in the Middle East and Africa overall are lagging behind, with only 50% of airlines in the panel equipped with wifi, led by legacy carriers at 67% with just 20% of budget airlines connected.
. . . Wifi Types
Not all wifi is equal; while seven out of 10 carriers do offer the ser vice, it’s only free on 13%. Some 29% offer wifi for a fee, while the majority, at 58%, use a ‘Freemium’ model, offering basic connectivity or services such as messaging for free, while charging for full internet access or premium features.
A rising trend, under the Freemium banner, is loyalty-gated access, where airlines offer free wifi in exchange for membership. See the study HERE.
