As connected consumers, we’re increasingly running our lives from smart devices, yet despite the fact that we have high-speed internet access at home, at work, on the move and even underground at London’s tube stations, air passengers can only get online on 24% of all miles flown.
NB This is a guest article by Rupak Ghosh, vice-president for Cyient.
Can commercial airlines bring online access in line with what is delivered by other modes of transportation and get more passengers online at 39,000 feet?
Rising demand for in-flight wifi
In the space of a few years, in-flight internet capability has gone from a nice-to-have to an expected service; with consumers demanding even faster connections, according to a recent survey by Honeywell Aerospace. As a result, commercial airlines are working to respond to this demand not only to keep their customers satisfied but also to maintain a competitive advantage.
Indeed, Honeywell Aerospace’s Inflight Connectivity 2014 survey found that the availability of in-flight wifi was a major factor in choosing which airline to fly with, with 22% of respondents admitting they would pay more for a flight that was wifi-enabled than for one that was not.
The legacy solutions that have so far been used to provide internet capability are now struggling to cope with the increasing passenger demand. In-flight wifi systems are hampered by bandwidth limitations, typically only providing enough capacity for individual passengers to handle simple tasks, such as checking their email and browsing social networks, but not enough to stream services such as Netflix or YouTube – services you’d expect to be popular on board.
There have also been difficulties in the method of delivery. Ground-to-air internet services are complicated when travelling across country borders, with oceans between territories making it impossible to deploy ground stations at regular intervals.
Satellite-based services have therefore been adopted more widely on international flights, although historically, these have proven to be extremely costly and difficult to install.
Custom-built airline applications
In recent years however, the cost of sending up satellites has fallen. This factor, combined with the rising demand for in-flight connectivity, has seen a huge array of airlines begin to monetise their wifi services, with increasing revenue opportunities being made available to forward-thinking carriers.
Airlines can monetise their internet services in a number of ways, but one approach is to use custom-built airline apps. These applications link up to the passenger’s individual in-flight entertainment systems, enabling them to interact with the plane via their personal device. These are only active while the user is physically on the plane.
With airline apps in place, the integration possibilities are endless. Some carriers only currently allow their customers to interact with entertainment platforms, essentially using their tablet or iPhone as a second screen. But others offer a much deeper integration into the in-flight experience, via the passenger’s personal device. The apps can be used for things like ordering food and drink and calling the attention of a flight attendant. Run via a subscription-based model, they also provide opportunities for airlines to generate further revenue.
Apps deployed in this format also help to relieve pressure on in-flight wifi systems. This is because rather than live streaming movies and films on mobile devices, the multimedia file can be temporarily downloaded to the device. This frees up bandwidth for passengers wanting to use it for other activities, such as browsing and checking the latest news, therefore improving the performance for all users. As soon as the passenger disembarks from the plane, the embedded software actively removes the downloaded files from the device, negating potential copyright issues.
Protecting passengers against cyber threats
Elsewhere, the increasing number of passengers bringing their own devices on to the flight has also benefited airlines by allowing them to significantly reduce the weight of the aircraft as in-built devices are removed – or at least made smaller. Panasonic and Recaro are making inroads here, building a seat with an IFE monitor which can be controlled via a smartphone.
We expect to see this trend impact cabin design, with more airlines providing in-seat power supplies and USB connections in the near future.
Of course, with every innovation comes a risk. In this case, the increased use of data and improved connectivity present a number of security challenges. For consumers, how comfortable would you be in providing the airline with unfettered access to your browsing history? For airlines, access can also mean a risk of manipulation, either from the ground or within the aircraft itself. Alongside any enhancements to bandwidth, updates to security and data safety are crucial.
While the confines of the aircraft cabin environment pose challenges for airlines looking to provide quality uninterrupted connectivity services to their passengers, new technologies are driving advancements in this arena. Consumer demand and expectations are high, but as satellite coverage increases and new delivery methods are implemented, a wealth of opportunities are opening up for airlines to provide the very latest integrated in-flight experience.
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NB This is a guest article by Rupak Ghosh, vice-president for Cyient.
NB2Image by Shutterstock