Airplane Broadband - Inflight Internet Access Is Finally Spreading!

Airplane broadband, what's that?!  When people speak of mobile broadband, and how the Internet can be accessible anytime, anywhere, they weren't kidding!  Being able to access inflight broadband really helps to round out the idea of truly having access at the tip of your fingertips.  There was an attempt some number of years ago to provide Internet access on airplanes, however, it was expensive to implement, and generally had no positive business case for airlines.  Simply put, the customer demand wasn't there to warrant the cost of building it; customers simply weren't ready to pay for such a service.


Well, times have changed, and now most of the major airlines are either already offering it on certain flights, or are in serious conversations about converting their fleets to provide airplane broadband.  I don't know about you, but I find this to be tremendously exciting.  Even if I don't end up purchasing such a service each time I fly, I love having the option available.  It also speaks to the maturity and evolution of mobile broadband in general, which is nice to see.


Why offer airplane broadband?
People these days are getting more and more used to being connected, whether it's to your family, friends, work, or even just to consume content for personal use.  We've got a computer at home, one at work, netbooks, and access to smartphones that can access email and the Internet.  There are even Internet-connected televisions, and even Internet appliances like fridges!  It really truly is a mobile (or shall I say "connected") revolution.  Now think about getting on an airplane with limited television access (if at all), completely disconnected from the world.  Many people may be so happy about having that time to themselves to reflect on life, or just relax that not having access may be some degree of paradise for them.  But for many others, it represents frustrating down time where we can't be productive, or lost time catching up on emails, reading the news, chatting with friends, etc.  While smartphones are a good alternative, there's still nothing quite like full Internet connectivity on a laptop or tablet computer, and don't forget that cellular service can only be used while on the ground.  Once you're in the sky, you need the help of the airlines to get connected.

So, with that in mind, airlines are starting to compete on offering other services.  And let's face it, they've pared down the services so far now, that airline travel can probably be considered one of the worst service industries on the plaet; how sad.  Well, inflight broadband is an opportunity for airlines to actually add a useful service!  Over the years the technology has become more robust and reliable, as well as more affordable.  Which means that airlines can now offer a good, solid service at a reasonable price, and actually make some money from it as well.  I know, we're tired of being nickel and dimed, but the bottom line is that if airlines can't be profitable, they'll continue to go bankrupt, which will ultimately mean less competition and higher fares for us in the long run.


Who are airlines targeting?
The logical primary target customer for airplane broadband are business users.  Why?  Because they tend to have time sensitive work that could mean the difference between winning and losing a multi-million dollar deal, that will make it easy to justify the relatively small price of access.  And most business users will be expensing the cost anyway.  I know I've been traveling on business many times where the flight was idle, wasted time.  Ok, I got to relax, which was nice(!), but productivity-wise, it wasn't a good use of time.  Then you end up spending the evening catching up, which means lost time with clients, or bonding with colleagues, or lost time with family.  The net net is that inflight broadband would have been great to have during these times, and well worth the price!


Even just a few years ago, this wouldn't have been the case, but now that people are so connected with all of the various devices, I see so many other targets among both kids and adults, such as:

• Catching up on email
• Researching the Internet for school work or personal projects
• Downloading music
• Watching television and movies
• Instant messaging with family and friends
• Facebook, Twitter
• etc.

Especially on long flights, keeping busy with the entire Internet on hand via airplane broadband can certainly make the flight much more enjoyable.

Inflight Broadband (Part 2)

Airline Broadband Services

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