We know that Wi-Fi, both on the ground and in the air, is trending towards the land of the free.
But throw that into the context of JiWire's new report, which says 80% of business travellers spend over 30min online in airports, and you've got an interesting battle brewing.
How will the airport hotspot make a dime if airlines are offering free Wi-Fi promos in-flight?
I think it's probably fair to say that once passengers get well and truly accustomed to free Wi-Fi , they'll expect it all the time.
Aircell, which is now providing air-to-ground (ATG)-based in-flight broadband on more than 600 aircraft, including a couple Air Canada birds, reports the company served its one millionth customer in October.
At the current rate of expansion and with users fast approaching 100,000 per week, the two millionth user is now expected to be reached in January 2010, it says. Aircell president and CEO Ron LeMay says hundreds of thousands of these customers represent paid users.
But again, the taste of freedom is intoxicating.
My Aunt Rita in Dublin used to sing a song to us as kids. "Free, free, I want to be free. Free to walk among the flowers and to taste the summer showers...."
Altogether now. Free, free, free.....................
Check out JiWire's entire report at the following link. JiWire Mobile Audience Insights
Report_Q3 2009.pdf
And then read Engadget's stonking piece on how American has launched an online widget to let customers sniff out in-flight Wi-Fi.
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