The Business of Passenger Experience
A pair of earnings reports last week left open questions about just how many aircraft are generating how much inflight connectivity revenue. Both Gogo and Inmarsat clarified those positions, providing better context around their numbers.
Eurowings passengers can now connect to the internet for free in flight. But can a free tease deliver the revenue boost desired? Or will passengers remain averse to paying for internet in the sky?
An additional 550+ aircraft now have live television on board. The Gogo TV product activated across three airlines in recent weeks, quickly adding live content to the company’s offerings. And more planes are coming online soon.
Adding extra flights to the schedule for the annual CES show in Las Vegas is a relatively common move. Demand is high and travelers are willing to pay higher than average prices to be at the massive technology conference so the airlines tend to enjoy nice profits on those flights. American Airlines and JAL are the latest to make a play for that traffic.
Can a joint venture truly deliver passenger benefits in the form of better connections and reduced fares? The proposal from JAL and Hawaiian Airlines might be the best chance we’ve seen yet to deliver on such promises.
What good is having an inflight wifi connectivity product if no one is using it? Gogo sits flush with satellite capacity and is pushing to increase take rates (and revenue) up dramatically on its platform.
Looking for free inflight internet connectivity? Japan appears the place to be. ANA will add free internet service on the bulk of its domestic fleet in 2018, delivering more connectivity on more domestic routes than any other carrier in Japan.
Supersonic hopeful Boom Aerospace got a big vote of confidence – and cash infusion – from Japan Airlines this week. The airline will pump $10mm in to the company, supporting the potential return to commercial supersonic flight by the middle of the next decade.
