About 300 aircraft of China’s airlines, or less than 10 percent of their total fleet, are equipped with Wi-Fi, a contrast to about 70 percent in the United States and 50 percent in Europe, but indicating enormous growth potential. wifi on plane

For instance, Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, which has a fleet of more than 130 aircraft, is the leader of the Asian pack that offer in-flight Wi-Fi.

All of its aircraft that connect China and North America, and 90 percent of its long-haul international flights, offer Wi-Fi now.

Domestically, in-flight Wi-Fi is available on 180 major routes of China Eastern, including most of its flights between Beijing and Shanghai.

In-flight Wi-Fi has become popular among Chinese flyers as well －92 percent of respondents in a survey of airline customers said they consider in-flight Wi-Fi necessary, according to CAPSE, a third-party civil aviation data service provider in the country.

As if in response, many domestic airlines have begun to offer in-flight Wi-Fi services. Other airlines are about to install the latest Wi-Fi that relies on Ku band, delivering superfast broadband. wifi on plane

The growth of the global in-flight Wi-Fi market is mainly driven by advancements in connectivity technologies. Also, increasing deployment and adoption of connectivity hardware and services by airlines across the globe is fueling the growth of the in-flight Wi-Fi market. However, data privacy & security issues and lack of awareness regarding in-flight Wi-Fi service particularly in developing regions are restraining the growth of the market to some extent.

Check out how much wifi on plane could cost you here.

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