Most Fliers Choose Airline Based on In-flight Connectivity, Survey Says

In-flight connectivity is more important than in-flight meals to most airline passengers, according to In-Flight Connectivity Survey results released Tuesday by Inmarsat and market research company GfK. Eighty-three percent choose an airline based on broadband availability, more than 60 percent are willing to pay for connectivity on flights, and 78 percent expect in-flight connectivity to replace in-flight entertainment within a decade, it said. Inmarsat said survey results came from more than 9,000 air passengers in Europe, Asia, Australasia, and Central and South America between August and March.