It is undeniably a trend. The main thing is to jump on the wave at the right moment," said Marc Rochet, chief executive of the low-cost airline French Blue, about the technology which is rapidly evolving but comes with a high price tag.will be equipped for inflight internet, according to a recent study by the Euroconsult firm. That is close to triple the 6,500 planes equipped in 2016.
The increase is being driven by a new generation of satellites that allow the use of smaller and lighter antennae on aircraft, as well as greater coverage by land-based systems.
The United States was the pioneer in developing a network of ground antennae for inflight internet. There, some 4,000 planes are equipped for inflight internet compared with just hundreds in Europe.
In 2016 new satellites capable of supporting video and television streaming, games and social media began to be deployed.The ability to support video streaming on a large scale shall be a game changer," said Euroconsult.
According to William Huot-Marchand, sales director at the inflight entertainment division at the aerospace firm Thales,Euroconsult estimates that revenues to suppliers for providing inflight internet connectivity topped $1 billion in 2016 and should reach $6.5 billion by 2026.The airlines which have taken the plunge are using different pricing models. Some offer inflight internet as a free perk. Others charge by the hour, flight, or even offer longer subscriptions as a way to recoup their costs and avoid overloading the available bandwidth.some airlines are considering how to use it as a means to boost onboard sales.It can also help reduce losses, helping airlines to recoup their investments.
"Today there are fraudulent transactions onboard"Security is another worry for airlines and equipment manufacturers who want to make sure inflight internet access isn´t used as a means to mount a cyber attack on an aircraft."The issue of cybersecurity is at the centre of our preoccupations. Every day there are new threats and every day you have to anticipate them,
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