Wi-fi on board: planes with internet access

Would you take a better Wi-Fi connection over your comfort during your flights?

The business world would, according to new research. Frequent business travellers would choose better Wi-Fi over leg space, seat size and comfort according to a survey of over 3,000 US, UK and International frequent flyers, conducted by Honeywell.

Staying connected has become a crucial for some business people, so a long haul flight without Wi-Fi could potentially count for hours of missed opportunities. Here are some of the stats from the survey (some might surprise you!)

No bathroom?

• Almost a third (32%) of US passengers would give up reclining seats.
• 24% of all passengers would give up six inches of leg room, which is a lot on a plane!
• 42% would give up the provision of snacks (not including meals).
• You’ll love this one: 390 (13%) of passengers would give up the toilet facilities. I’m not sure the other 87% would be happy about a ten hour flight to the US without a toilet though!

What does the UK think?

81% of UK flyers think that Wi-Fi should always be available on domestic and international flights. And it’s not just Wi-Fi provision that customers want, they want it to be consistent and useful. Nine in ten (91%) UK flyers said that current Wi-Fi causes frustration, with every UK passenger describing it as “slow” or “inconsistent”.

It appears that passengers from the UK want a good Wi-Fi connection more than US and international passengers. Eighty-nine per cent said they would give up at least one of the amenities listed above, compared to 86% of US passengers and 87% of international passengers.