Qantas recently announced that one of its Boeing 767s will be fitted to allow mobile phone use in-flight.
Qantas recently announced that one of its Boeing 767s will be fitted to allow mobile phone use in-flight.
The news comes as a survey commissioned by OnAir – an in-flight phone provider – shows that business travellers are leading the push for in-flight communications.
The global survey indicated that business travellers in particular wanted to use their smartphones, such as BlackBerry and Treo, to send and receive emails and to be reachable by phone during flights, making time spent on board as useful as any other part of their working day.
The research found that:
• more than 90 per cent carry a mobile phone when travelling;
• up to 40 per cent carry a Black-Berry or Treo when travelling;
• 65 per cent of BlackBerry and Treo users would turn their devices on during flights;
• 94 per cent would take calls and check emails during flights; and
• 82 per cent would make calls and send emails during flights.
Mobile OnAir, which will allow passengers to use their mobile phones, BlackBerrys and Treos during flights, will be installed on Air France flights from early 2007 and on Ryanair, BMI and TAP flights from the middle of 2007.
The highest volume of activity is expected to be SMS messaging, with 33 per cent more texts expected to be sent and received than any other application, including voice calls.
The survey also highlighted cultural differences. It found that the mobile phone appears to be used as both a business and a social tool by French travellers, but more often used by British travellers as just a business tool.
Based on the current number of missed calls per flight, the survey found that:
• passengers departing from France receive 82 per cent more calls than passengers departing from the UK;
• leisure passengers departing from France receive almost as many calls as their business counterparts;
• business travellers departing from the UK receive two and half times as many calls as leisure travellers;
• Spanish travellers stand out in Europe as wanting to remain in touch, with 67 per cent saying they would turn their phone on during flights;
• 80 per cent of all respondents, when asked whether they would use their mobile devices during flights or not, had a positive perception of the concept;
• 38 per cent perceived it as a service that allows people to stay in touch during flights and profitably use time on board; and
• 42 per cent stated that it would be a bonus to be able to exchange text messages and emails, although voice calls would have to be managed.
The survey was carried out in April 2006 by Prodata, on behalf of OnAir, and interviewed 2,413 passengers on regional flights at three airports – London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Hong Kong International. Of the sample, 62 per cent were men and 38 per cent were women, and 58 per cent were leisure travellers and 42 per cent were travelling on business.
Qantas announced last month that it would introduce early in 2007 the equipment to enable passengers to make and receive emails, SMS and calls via their mobile phone or PDAs such as Blackberrys.
Qantas group general manager of customer product and services, Lesley Grant, said the airline would evaluate the technology over a three-month period on a Boeing 767 aircraft opera-ting on Australian domestic routes.
“Qantas will be one of the first airlines in the world to offer this service,” she said.
Ms Grant said Qantas’ research indicated that customers were increasingly demanding the same range of services in the air as those available on the ground.
“We have asked our business travellers about the concept, the overwhelming majority felt the service was a good idea, particularly email access. Most feel it will allow them to use their time more effectively in-flight, as a flight for many has become an integral part of their business day,” she said.
Qantas has teamed with Telstra, Panasonic Avionics Corporation and AeroMobile – OnAir’s competitor in the evaluation.
