Emirates is offering complimentary 10MB of data to all passengers across all service classes in a move it believes will further strengthen its market position, and result in new business.
The service will be available onboard the Dubai carrier’s 53 Airbus A380s and 28 Boeing 777s.
While the complimentary 10MB will be sufficient for most travellers, heavier users will appreciate having to only pay a nominal $1 charge for every additional 600MB.
Given that many carriers offering similar services impose charges exceeding US$10, often per hour, Emirates’ service represents somewhat of a breakthrough, especially in the economy cabin.
The Gulf airline saw a daily average of 3,500 passengers using onboard wifi last month, with data usage averaging about 28MB per passenger.
Emirates’ market research also shows that most passengers use data to access Google, Facebook, and chat services like Skype, WhatsApp and BBM, reflecting a strong desire to stay connected to friends, family and colleagues inflight.
For more information, visit emirates.com
Clement Huang
