Gogo Study Uncovers Startling Need For In-Flight Wi-Fi

Image: PHOTO: Various electronic devices connecting to Wi-Fi. (photo courtesy of Thinkstock)

by Gabe Zaldivar
Last updated: 5:15 PM ET, Mon April 4, 2016

Illustration courtesy of Thinkstock

Add Wi-Fi to the growing list of things travelers demand when crammed into an airplane.

In-flight Internet provider Gogo unveiled findings of its study recently and illustrated just how much the world desires Wi-Fi when traversing the globe.

Of course, there is no shortage of things we want when boarding a plane: legroom, decent food, on-time departures and arrivals and, apropos to the study, Wi-Fi service.

What follows is an infographic supplied by Gogo that proves there is an enormous market outside of these borders that remains largely untapped.

As noted, those in the U.S. and Canada most certainly desire a way to work online and pass the time with streaming video in the form of in-flight Internet.

However, there is something of a void globally, which seemingly has nothing to do with a lack of demand.

Judging by the study, which took into account travelers from 19 countries, passengers from outside this continent are absolutely screaming for a reliable solution.

Gogo's chief commercial officer Ash ElDifrawi explains, via Gogo, "The need for ubiquitous connectivity is no secret. There are very few places on earth today that people can't connect and the plane is really the last frontier."

From cafes to in-hotel solutions, it's extremely easy to find a place to check email and manage your various social channels. Up 35,000 feet, that prospect is sadly tenuous.

ElDifrawi continues with thoughts on demand that is surprisingly not met by outside suppliers: "What's surprising to us is that the demand is actually higher outside of the U.S. and Canada, where we are just scratching the surface in terms of connecting planes. The growing demand of in-flight services outside of the U.S. and Canada creates a significant opportunity for airlines servicing these regions around the world."

That sentiment is echoed by the following graphic that illustrates, among many things, that global travelers are about 55 percent likely to consider in-flight connectivity when booking.