Do Airlines Overpromise With In-Flight Wi-Fi?
Photo Credit: As on many airlines, the WiFi on United Airlines is not as reliable as customers would like. But United also streams movies and television programs from a server on the aircraft to passenger devices, and that system, pictured here, often is more reliable. United Airlines
Skift Take
Travelers board an airplane and expect the Wi-Fi, which is often expensive, to work as it does at home. But it's not as good as at home, and it may never be. Should airlines do a better job of communicating that to customers?
When in-flight Wi-Fi doesn't work, as happens all too frequently, airlines often offer a simple response — don't blame us.
Yes, the airlines advertise and sell internet, and when it works properly, they're happy to take credit. But like their passengers, airlines are at the mercy of suppliers to ensure reliability. Some systems work better than others, but none is exactly like a passenger's home internet, no matter what Gogo or ViaSat claims.
Will it improve?
Maybe, United Airlines Chief Digital Officer Linda Jojo told me recently. But Jojo, who has had a long career working in technology, said she is a realist. Getting Wi-Fi to the plane is an advanced problem, even if passengers don't know it.
"There is this thing called physics, and it probably always will be in the way," she said.
What's odd is that airlines don't communicate this to passengers. Many airline executives know they need fast, reliable Wi-Fi to keep pace with competitors, so they overpromise what they
