AirAsia is the first low-cost airline in the region to introduce in-flight Wi-Fi. — Reuters pic
A check on the service revealed that the Wi-Fi plans range from RM9 to RM58, with the most basic plan capped at 10MB. There’s also a top-of-the-line 200MB plan, which is best for streaming. “Once the aircraft is Wi-Fi-enabled the in-flight magazine should not be there. It is fuel-saving,” he said, adding that although the hardcopy uses some of the lightest paper material available, going 100 per cent digital would save kilos for every fleet.
“But the growth potential is phenomenal because once all the aircraft have the service, people start using dependent on the needs of that day. I am sure you can get business out of it, directly and indirectly, especially when passengers browse and make a purchase via OURSHOP,” he said.However, for the service to have a bigger impact on its ancillary income, Riad said it has to remain attractive, noting the company is constantly on the lookout for more content providers.
The importance is highest in Africa , followed by Latin America and the Middle East , with the lowest in Europe and North America .“With the availability of Wi-Fi connectivity continuing to have a direct impact on the overall travel experience, adopting the latest onboard Wi-Fi technology continues to be an effective way for airlines to distinguish their product offering,” said the association.