In-Flight WiFi

Major airlines in the United States have different perspective on investing in aircraft connectivity both for flight operational and passenger usage.

13:05 05 September 2017

Don Casey, senior vice president of revenue for American Airlines, say that In-Flight WiFi is simply a must. “It’s a core expectation for customers, we think about it that way. Our objective is to create a living-room experience in the air.”

 

He added: “Getting to that high-speed internet is one of the biggest customer-facing technology changes we’re making.”

 

However, low-cost carriers do not share the same perspective with American Airlines, saying they don’t think aircraft connectivity is something that their passengers consider a necessity.

 

Allegiant Air Senior Vice President Lukas Johnson said: “Our average flights are around two hours, with virtually no business traffic,” said Johnson. “People are usually just going out to the beach or for leisure travel.”

 

“It’s just not on the radar for us,” he added. “It’s very different than if you’re flying trans-continental with business class passengers and it’s a requirement to have on your plane.”

 

Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines, on the other hand, said they are simply not ready to make a commitment to In-Flight WiFi. CEO Jude Bricker said: “Connectivity to the internet? I don’t think that’s for us right now. We’re still studying Wi-Fi, but I don’t know if we’re ready to commit to that today,”