Inflight Wi-Fi Makes Passengers Feel Less Anxious, According to Gogo's Most Recent Global Traveler Study

CHICAGO, May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a world where constant connectivity is the norm, and stress among travelers is high, staying connected in flight is having a calming effect on passengers.  According to Gogo's (NASDAQ: GOGO) most recent Global Traveler Study, more than 75 percent of travelers say having inflight internet makes them feel less anxious because they can stay in contact with friends and family on the ground. Sixty-five percent say it makes them feel less anxious because they can stay connected to work.

Not only do passengers want to be connected, their expectation is to be connected in the same way in flight as they are on the ground, which means multiple screens doing multiple activities.

"Today, we see a shift as inflight internet moves from being a luxury to an expectation for travelers around the world," said Alyssa Hayes, Director of Insights at Gogo. "The importance of internet in the booking process has been increasing as now one-third of passengers are looking for inflight internet when they book their flights. The desire for people to stay connected and in contact with the ground is prevalent; passengers look to not just browse the internet but also engage with social media, read the news and check their email."

Other key findings from the report include:

• Mobile is king – in terms of devices brought on the plane, 90 percent of passengers bring a mobile device, 59 percent bring a laptop and 48 percent bring a tablet. However, laptops tend to stay in the bag as 62 percent of passengers use their mobile device in flight, 35 percent use a tablet and 34 percent use their laptop.
• Online browsing dominates – a majority of passengers still say they want internet access for general browsing (75%) followed by social media (63%), checking email (60%) and reading news (60%). When it comes to streaming, 44 percent of passengers want to stream movies and TV shows in flight. YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify are the top desired sources for streaming content.
• Seatback Screens aren't dead – Passengers still like seatback screens. Half (47%) of air travelers prefer seatback screens in flight versus 33 percent who prefer their own personal devices. Travelers preferring seatback screens like the ease of use (more than half like that they don't have to worry about charging their device). Among those preferring their personal devices, 65 percent cite privacy as the primary reason.
• Multitasking is the norm – Multitasking in flight is the expectation, just as it is at home or at work. People are comfortable watching a movie on the seatback while texting colleagues on their smartphone.

The Gogo Global Traveler Research Study explores the changing behaviors of airline passengers across the world as it pertains to inflight connectivity and entertainment. The study has been significantly expanded for 2018 and now includes data gathered from more than 9,000 air travelers in 18 countries.

To learn more or to download the complete report, visit gogoair.com/globaltraveler.

Media Relations Contact:
Meredith Payette
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SOURCE Gogo

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