Travelers anywhere in the world now have slightly better
than one-in-three odds of getting Wi-Fi on their flights, according to
Routehappy’s Global State of In-Flight Wi-Fi report.
Globally, 60 airlines now offer in-flight Wi-Fi, and
passengers get “some chance” at Wi-Fi—a RouteHappy measurement indicating
service might still unavailable due to aircraft swaps, spotty or out of order—on
36 percent of available seat miles, according to the report. Among U.S.
carriers, 78 percent of ASMs come with a chance of Wi-Fi, compared with about
two-thirds a year prior. Carriers based elsewhere offer Wi-Fi on a quarter of
ASMs, similar to last year.
Delta Air Lines edges out its competitors for the most
Wi-Fi-enabled ASMs, though United Airlines and American Airlines are closing
the gap, according to the report. American gained significant coverage when it
acquired US Airways and its Wi-Fi-enabled aircraft, and United has the most
long-haul ASMs with Wi-Fi among U.S. carriers. Virgin America, meanwhile, has
the highest percentage of flights equipped with Wi-Fi among U.S. carriers: nearly
100 percent.
Globally, Emirates leads in long-haul ASMs with Wi-Fi—nearly
twice those of United, ranked second—and Lufthansa is the only carrier to offer
Wi-Fi on 100 percent of its long-haul flights. Aeroflot, Garuda Indonesia and
United all are nearing that distinction.
Other airlines with “substantial Wi-Fi
offerings,” according to Routehappy, include Etihad Airways, Iberia, Japan
Airlines, Norwegian, SAS and Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot.