Hotels and airports are the worst offenders, with some charging up to £17 for 24 hours. Having to pay for Wi-Fi services also impacts the efficiency of the working day with up to 70% of business travellers regularly unable to work efficiently due to slow or unreliable Wi-Fi connections.
LONDON – Business travellers paying to stay connected whilst they travel are costing British companies more than £370 million each year, according to new global research from Amba Hotels. The average UK business traveller spends £16.30 on Wi-Fi and roaming charges on each trip – a third more than the average spend in the US where free Wi-Fi is more widely available.
Hotels and airports are the worst offenders, with some charging up to £17 for 24 hours. Having to pay for Wi-Fi services also impacts the efficiency of the working day with up to 70% of business travellers regularly unable to work efficiently due to slow or unreliable Wi-Fi connections. For example, two fifths (38%) have been unable to join a work call or videoconferencing meeting, almost a fifth (17%) have missed a work deadline, and half (53%) have felt the impact on their personal lives after being unable to contact friends and family.
Financial commentator and founder of letssavemoney.com, Sarah Willingham, said: “Fast, free, reliable Wi-Fi is non-negotiable for modern business travellers. With airlines and rail companies investing in Wi-Fi on board and international roaming charges falling dramatically, it’s inexcusable to keep charging extortionate rates for patchy Wi-Fi connections. I’m pleased to see Amba Hotels is championing fast, free Wi-Fi and hope their competitors follow their lead.”
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Hotels |
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Name |
Availability |
Premium Wi-Fi Cost |
Wi-Fi Cost |
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Four Seasons |
Free for up to 2 devices |
£17 for 24 hours |
Free |
|
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Marriott |
Free to loyalty members who book direct |
Non members £15 for 24 hours high speed |
Non-members £10 for 24 hours
|
|
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Mandarin Oriental |
Free to those who book direct |
N/A |
Non-members £15 for 24 hours £6 per hour |
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|
InterContinental |
Free to members of all tiers |
N/A |
£15 for 24 hours |
|
|
Amba Hotels |
Free to All |
Service is high speed |
Free to all |
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Airports |
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1. |
London Heathrow |
Free for the first 4 hours |
N/A |
1 hour £3 3 hours £5 24 hours £9 |
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2. |
JFK New York |
Registration required |
N/A |
$4.95 per hour $7.95 24 hours |
|
3. |
Berlin Schönefeld |
Registration required |
N/A |
Payment options on registration
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Trains |
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1. |
Virgin Trains |
Free in first class, payment required in standard class |
N/A |
1 hour £3 3 hours £6 24 hours £8 |
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2. |
East Coast |
15 minutes free, then payment required |
N/A |
£4.95 per hour or £9.95 for 24 hours
|
|
3. |
First Capital Connect |
Free to all first class travellers |
N/A |
Available on one route |
|
4. |
East Midlands |
Payment required |
N/A |
£4 for 3 hours £6 for 24 hours |
The research highlights the overall cost of Wi-Fi to businesses globally and in key business travel markets:
- France – 232 million euros annually (average spend 22.10 euros per trip)
- UK – £371 million annually (average spend £16.30 per trip)
- Germany – 3.6 billion euros annually (average spend 21.10 euros per trip)
- US – $7.3 billion annually (average spend $15.10 per trip)
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
