Just a few days ago, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) got flyers excited about how they could soon use Wi-Fi in the aircraft. However, for those dreaming about posting amazing selfies and boomerang videos on Instagram and Facebook, here's some not-so-exciting news.
Airlines, after Trai's recommendations, made news, are mulling the move to allow passengers to use the in-flight voice and data connectivity. However, this is unlikely to come cheap, as this facility could involve a hefty 20-30 percent of the fare, reported the Times of India.
Also, this may not be an option for budget carriers and Wi-Fi could be available only on full-service airlines, where business class flyers can use the facility. Speaking of the cost, officials said that the internet connectivity could come at a price of about Rs 500-Rs 1,000 for a 30-60 minutes flight.
"We are discussing the feasibility of having the facility on domestic flights. The cost and demand may have to be factored in before taking a decision," TOI quoted an official of a private airline as saying.
The news may have brought quite some cheer among many flyers, but several travellers also believe that the facility would be useful only to business flyers and not everyone would want to use Wi-Fi, even on international routes.
Echoing this thought, D Sudhakara Reddy, Air Passengers Association of India national president, noted: "The in-flight data connectivity may be useful on longhaul flights. But I have hardly seen anyone use it or ask for it on international routes. It may be good during an emergency. Going by the international experience of passengers, it may not be viable for low-cost carriers."
