According to Oman Air, the number of passengers using inflight connectivity on its seven OnAir-equipped Airbus A330s “increased dramatically” during 2013, as did the volume of data exchanged. The airline says that, from 2012 to 2013, the number of its passengers logging on to the OnAir networks increased by 45%, and 85% more data was used.
Oman Air has worked on increasing usage by implementing a series of new marketing initiatives, which have included a promotion allowing passengers to use frequent flyer miles to purchase wi-fi codes, as well as offering free vouchers to first and business-class passengers at various points of the year. The airline has also included a promotional advertising campaign and a clip about Mobile OnAir before every film.
OnAir predicts further growth, estimating that Oman Air will see a doubling of wi-fi usage in 2014, thanks to its marketing activities and providing passengers with value-added services around connectivity. The usage figures indicate that when passengers know about the service, there is a great demand for it.
“We are always excited to see passengers making the most of the services we provide. It’s clear that Oman Air, having pioneered full onboard connectivity, has used several appealing marketing initiatives to encourage users to connect to the inflight GSM and wi-fi,” said Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir. “The usage numbers show passengers are using the service again and again, so they must recognise that it more than lives up to its reputation. Passengers now expect to fly in a connected aircraft, making inflight connectivity a must-have.”
