Survey reveals airline streaming and wireless internet offerings vary widely

Survey reveals airline streaming and wireless internet offerings vary widely

Half of 20 airlines studied for in-flight internet access offer passengers the option of streaming films, TV programmes and music from electronic devices directly to their in-seat widescreen.

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Half of 20 airlines studied for in-flight internet access offer passengers the option of streaming films, TV programmes and music from electronic devices directly to their in-seat widescreen.

They include Air Canada, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa, according to the ‘Know Before You Go’ research by Airport Parking and Hotels (APH).

But streaming facilities were also found to vary according to the airline and booking class. For example, Virgin Atlantic offers streaming facilities on its Upper Class Suite, but is available only on selected aircraft.

The cost of in-flight streaming varies significantly between airlines, with Cathay Pacific, Delta Airlines and Swiss Air all offering passengers up-streaming at no additional cost.

However, Monarch Airlines only allows passengers the option of previously downloading films and TV show from its own app onto mobile devices to stream during the flight at an additional cost of £3.99 per passenger, per flight.

With regards to inflight wireless internet access, twelve carriers allow passengers to purchase an hourly, quarterly or 24 hour in-flight wireless internet access, yet the cost varies.

A one hour pass costs £6 with Aer Lingus, £7 with Lufthansa and £8 with Japan Airlines. However some airlines such as Emirates and Iberia charge according to data usage.

In-flight streaming functions and Wi-Fi connections are subject to interruptions during taxi, take-off and landing, but are fully functionality once the aircraft has reached cruising altitude.