While flyers would like the option to use mobile phones mid-flight, 55% of respondents were concerned that such usage could put the safety of their plane at risk.
NEW YORK – Fly.com released the results of a new consumer survey that shows Americans don’t want to unplug from their portable communication devices when flying.
Fly.com’s survey, which questioned 500 U.S. travelers this summer, found that 80% of respondents want the option to connect to the Internet during their flight. An additional 66% would like to be allowed to talk on their cell phone.
This is good news for airlines that already offer wireless services to their passengers. However, based on Fly.com’s survey results, Americans are reticent to pay for Wi-Fi, with 49% stating that they do not want to pay anything at all, and an additional 27% 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% 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% 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.
Other notable results from the Fly.com survey include:
Cell Phone Responses
|
59% |
Do not understand the “flight mode” cell phone setting |
|
46% |
Do not know why airlines ask passengers to turn off their phones |
|
38% |
Believe the most annoying thing about allowing cell phones on planes will be people talking too loudly |
|
48% |
Would use cell phones to keep friends and family informed of flight progress |
Internet Responses
|
65% |
Think it is important that airlines offer Internet access on flights |
|
36% |
Would take advantage of in-flight Internet access to find information and deals relating to their destination |
|
26% |
Would use in-flight Internet to catch up on emails |
“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.”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
