Aussies want sky high Wi-Fi: Doh!

Business woman traveling and enjoying onboard entertainment on her tablet computer
By Daisy Melwani


It comes as a shock to no-one, but new research reveals that a majority of Australian business travellers want access to Wi-Fi on flights.

The latest Roy Morgan Research finds most corporate flyers want to be contactable at all times – for work.

The study shows 2.3 million Australians travelled by air for business purposes in 2016, and at 11 % of the population (14+), this stat is unchanged compared with 2012.

However what has changed are the habits of business travellers when it comes to their smartphones, with now 92% of them using one, compared to just 68% in 2012.

“It doesn’t take long for a convenience to become a compulsion,” the report states.

80% of business air travellers are now “interested in being able to access the internet wherever I am” (up from 73% in 2012)—and a majority 56% say they “need to contactable at all times for work” (up from 48%).

“Australian airlines have so far lagged behind others in the US, Asia, Europe and the Middle East in offering in-flight internet access to their customers,” Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan Research said.

Internet attitudes and usage among Australian Business Air Travellers

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, October 2011 to September 2012 sample = 2,159 and October 2015 to September 2016 sample = 1,237 Australians aged 14+ who travelled by air for business purposes in last 12 months. * In an average four-week period. ^ In an average three-month period.

However, accessing the internet isn’t just about replying to work emails. Last year 60% streamed entertainment content in an average four weeks, including music or radio, video, television or movies (up from 43% in 2012).

37% of business air travellers accessed a wireless hotspot in a three-month period in 2016 (up from 24 percent) and 31% access their work network remotely in an average four weeks (up from 28%).

“Business travellers will be the primary target market for Qantas as it rolls out internet connectivity across its fleet. Compared with leisure travellers, people flying for business profess a much greater need to stay connected, wherever and whenever,” Levine said.

“Although the majority of business travellers currently say they need to be contactable at all times for work, many perhaps enjoy the enforced downtime on flights—or at least the chance to do some work without facing a stream of incoming emails.

“Roy Morgan’s research shows that 10% of the 2.3 million annual business air travellers take a domestic work flight at least once a month, and 6% make at least three work-related international flights a year.”

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