|
|
Americans Want In-Flight Wi-Fi but Wont Pay for It
Published on:
According to a survey of US aircraft passengers, 80 percent of respondents want the option to connect to the Internet during their flight. An additional 66 percent would like to be allowed to talk on their cell phone.
However, based on Fly.com's survey results, Americans are reticent to pay for Wi-Fi, with 49 percent stating that they do not want to pay anything at all, and an additional 27 percent indicating that they won't pay more than $5.
In addition, while flyers would also like the option to use mobile phones mid-flight, 55 percent of respondents were concerned that such usage could put the safety of their plane at risk. This is in spite of the fact that 32 percent of those surveyed have broken the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) cell phone ban by either intentionally or unintentionally leaving their phone on during their flight.
Fly.com's latest findings in the U.S. contrast with the results of an earlier European survey from the company, which established that less than 5 percent of U.K. passengers want in-flight wireless connectivity. However the study does support the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) recent move to form a group to assess whether air carriers and operators can allow a more widespread use of portable electronic devices on planes.
"Not only do American travelers want to stay 'plugged in' during their flights, but there is also a much higher tolerance for in-flight mobile phone use than we expected," said Warren Chang, vice president and general manager for Fly.com. "It is good to see that the FAA is looking at ways to satisfy this demand through possible new allowances."
Tags: [USA]
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |