Passengers will make sacrifices for in-flight Wi-Fi, finds study

Passengers have such a strong desire for in-flight Wi-Fi they are even willing to give up some of the small comforts of flying, according to study conducted by Honeywell.

Many would be happy to trade a comfortable seat for a reliable laptop connection.

The poll of more than 3,000 travellers in the US, UK, and Singapore found that travellers want access to Wi-Fi every time they fly.

Almost nine out of 10 passengers surveyed said they were willing to give something up on their flight, with one-third of US passengers saying they would give up the ability to recline their seats, and 38% saying they would give up their preferred seat.

Forty two per cent of passengers would exchange peanuts for Wi-Fi, while nearly one-quarter would pass on the drinks.

More than half (55%) percent of US passengers said they mostly use in-flight connectivity for personal reasons, and just 22% say they use it mostly for professional reasons.

Passengers from both the UK and Singapore claimed more professional and less personal use.

A total of 86% of US passengers say every flight should give them the opportunity to check Twitter, update their fantasy football line-up, or send an email to a co-worker.

But around 90% of all respondents said they are frustrated with the connectivity when they fly, Wired.com reported.