IHT.com: Boeing: In-flight Internet didn’t fly on low demand

August 17 2006

Ideas before their time...

Boeing published a survey of 3,200 airline passengers in April that seemed to indicate that the airborne Net would soar in popularity. The survey found that 83 percent said Internet availability would have an impact on their future travel plans and choice of airline. Of those who actually used the service, called Connexion, 92 percent said they would recommend it. ...

Ken Dulaney at the research firm Gartner in San Jose, California, predicted the system would rise again. "It seems clear to me there is a business there, just not the way Boeing built it," he said. "There will be a fire sale of Boeing's investments and then someone will take over this niche market."

Dulaney drew a parallel with the Iridium global satellite-based telephone system that collapsed shortly after completion, but is still operational under new ownership.
After a week in a city where every coffee shop, motel, diner, and Chinese take-out has wifi, it's mind-boggling to me that Boeing found this business unworkable (though admittedly, in almost all those places, it's free...).  I have only been on three flights where it was available, but I used it all three times.  Frankly, the fact that no domestic US airline had this service yet limited awareness that the concept even existed.  I'm sure there were other issues, but I for one will be disappointed if it goes off-air.

Link: IHT.com: Boeing: In-flight Internet didn't fly on low demand >

Ed Brill Category:  Travel  Add/View Comments [8]

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  1. 1  Gordon Inkson  | 8/17/2006 10:55:42 PM

    A bunch of reasons for the failure (so far) of this service are summarized over at Techdirt -

    { Link }

    As they suggest it is probably just a question of someone perfecting the business model - if someone can do that then the service could really 'fly' ;-)

  1. 2  Frank Michel http://dominosteine.eu | 8/18/2006 2:11:21 AM

    Could it be that this service has no future without passengers carrying Laptops on board?

    Maybe Boeing anticipates that "no carry on" is a long lasting problem...

  1. 3  Adam Gartenberg http://www.adamgartenberg.com | 8/18/2006 9:45:25 AM

    Here's my experience with it - I needed wireless, I tried to use it, but without power in my (coach) seat, I ran out of power before I could actually send what I needed to. Now power ports and wireless - then I'm in business.

  1. 4  Mike "5 Things Wrong with SharePoint" Drips http://forevervoyaging.blogspot.com/ | 8/18/2006 12:08:33 PM

    What city were you in that had such an excessive amount of free WiFi. It sure as hell wasn't downtown San Francisco, Sacramento or Boston based on my recent experiences.

    Then again maybe I just don't walk down the right streets.

  1. 5  Scott  | 8/18/2006 1:12:42 PM

    I used the 30 free minutes offered on a flight but it was hard to pay the 10.95 \ HR cost after that. The service was not that high speed and not that reliable for the cost. The low demand was caused by the High Cost and Low Quality.

  1. 6  Joe  | 8/18/2006 1:42:12 PM

    When I'm flying overseas after a week of business abroad, the last thing I want to do is monkey with my computer.

    Personally, sitting next to someone banging away at their keyboard would be just as annoying listening to someone yack away on their cell phone (if they allowed that).

    What the hell did you all do back in the stone age pre-Internet & cell? Did you manage to get things done?

    Here's an idea. Be prepared and get everything in order before you get on a plane.

    Unplug already.

  1. 7  Mike Lazar  | 8/18/2006 4:13:35 PM

    Joe -- Not sure why you're so hostile about this, but it is far more than "get(ting) everything in order". It's about entertainment options on a 9 hour flight from Copenhagen to Chicago. You can only watch so many bad movies or read so much of a book. It's another diversion. I got it on that flight so that I could surf the web a bit and IM some friends. I might have sent a few emails, but 95% of the time I used it for enjoyment. And you know what? It made that evilly long flight go just a bit faster. That's well worth the money IMHO.

  1. 8  Karl-Henry Martinsson  | 8/18/2006 5:12:20 PM

    @3: I had the same experience. I flew Chicago-Stockholm and then Copenhagen-Chicago back in February. But in coach, there were no power outlets, and I did not use the service, even if I would have been able to do some development or support on the trip. Until the airlines realize that every seat need a power outlet (or at least one per two or three seats), the bulk of the passengers will not use the internet in-flight.