Surfing the internet while cruising at 35,000 feet above the ground might sound new and exciting to Indian fliers. But the facility might not be cheap, if international trends are anything to go by.
Business Standard analysed internet charges of 37 of the 53 airlines that provide internet services aboard their flights. On an average, in-flight internet costs 40 cents for every Mega Byte (MB) of usage on board these flights – almost Rs 27 for an MB of internet usage and translates into Rs 270 for 10 MB of data. That is significantly higher than what Indians pay on the ground. Without specific data plans, Indians pay Rs 4 for 10 MB of data while they are on the ground.
According to online travel portal edreams, 53 airlines across the world offered internet services on board. Information regarding in-flight internet pricing was not available for certain airlines like Libyan Airline, Egypt Air, AirItalia and China Eastern Airlines. Some airlines provided free internet on board, with companies like Panasonic, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile and On-Air offering internet services without a cost. The biggest and most prominent internet service providers on airlines across the world was Chicago-based Gogo Inc.
Evidently, there seem to be three distinct business models being followed by airlines to charge customers for internet. Customers were being charged for the amount of data used (most often in MB), the time for which they used the internet while on the flight, and in rare instances for the number of miles they used the internet while flying on long-haul flights. Some airlines, especially European and American ones, provided customers with options of either paying for the time they used the internet or the amount of data they used on board.
Tariffs charged for the amount of data economy-class fliers used on board an airplane were the highest for Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA). Usage charges were more than a dollar for every MB of data used. That is almost Rs 8,000 for 100 MB of data. The lowest charges for internet usage based on data consumption were for UAE’s national airline Emirates. The airline charges fliers just Rs 444 for 100 MB of data while flying. Surprisingly, internet services in both these airlines were provided by Geneva-headquartered OnAir.
04/05/18 Sai Manish/Business Standard
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Business Standard analysed internet charges of 37 of the 53 airlines that provide internet services aboard their flights. On an average, in-flight internet costs 40 cents for every Mega Byte (MB) of usage on board these flights – almost Rs 27 for an MB of internet usage and translates into Rs 270 for 10 MB of data. That is significantly higher than what Indians pay on the ground. Without specific data plans, Indians pay Rs 4 for 10 MB of data while they are on the ground.
According to online travel portal edreams, 53 airlines across the world offered internet services on board. Information regarding in-flight internet pricing was not available for certain airlines like Libyan Airline, Egypt Air, AirItalia and China Eastern Airlines. Some airlines provided free internet on board, with companies like Panasonic, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile and On-Air offering internet services without a cost. The biggest and most prominent internet service providers on airlines across the world was Chicago-based Gogo Inc.
Evidently, there seem to be three distinct business models being followed by airlines to charge customers for internet. Customers were being charged for the amount of data used (most often in MB), the time for which they used the internet while on the flight, and in rare instances for the number of miles they used the internet while flying on long-haul flights. Some airlines, especially European and American ones, provided customers with options of either paying for the time they used the internet or the amount of data they used on board.
Tariffs charged for the amount of data economy-class fliers used on board an airplane were the highest for Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA). Usage charges were more than a dollar for every MB of data used. That is almost Rs 8,000 for 100 MB of data. The lowest charges for internet usage based on data consumption were for UAE’s national airline Emirates. The airline charges fliers just Rs 444 for 100 MB of data while flying. Surprisingly, internet services in both these airlines were provided by Geneva-headquartered OnAir.
04/05/18 Sai Manish/Business Standard
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