Opinion: Jeff Mabe on wifi revolution

Jeff Mabe, senior director of Inflight Strategy and Strategic Partnerships at wireless technology and location data company iPass, explains why inflight wifi is primed for takeoff

It’s a pivotal time for inflight connectivity. Delta Airline’s recent announcement of aspirations to make onboard wifi free to passengers could set off a domino effect across the industry.

But the challenge for airlines that are forced to follow suit will be: how do we find innovative ways to create a differentiated wifi service that not only delivers for our passengers, but provides a revenue stream for the future too?

I believe the answer lies in airlines following the very same path that wifi has taken back on the ground – customers can now walk into their favourite café, store or hotel and seamlessly access the wifi network from within the company’s branded application. Up until recently, the primary focus of inflight wifi has been getting the technology up and running as quickly as possible.

Airlines simply looked for which wifi providers could provide the fastest, most reliable service on any given route, so passengers on the same airline might have a completely different experience getting connected on one flight compared to another.

Airlines want to keep customers in their own ecosystem, and by making wifi connectivity a core component of this ecosystem they can ensure that the passenger is put at the heart of their service – they can learn more about them and use this knowledge to offer personalised recommendations and promotions.

This means shifting focus from the nuts and bolts of wifi speed and bandwidth, to positioning wifi as a core component of a much wider service offering, with consistent airline branding throughout.

In practice, a passenger could be offered the service via the airline’s own app, rather than a separate system, reducing or entirely removing the friction to access inflight wifi – no need to re-enter payment details and no confusing branding. By integrating wifi within the airline’s own app and entertainment system it is easy to offer passengers additional paid-for services, from food to movies to last-minute deals in their destination. This is an obvious way to differentiate from the competition and has the double benefit of a better passenger experience and a better way to monetise each seat – two things that are going to be increasingly important in a free-wifi future. •

Airlines want to keep customers in their own ecosystem