A new study suggests the number of planes equipped with onboard Wi-Fi will triple within five years, fuelled by in-flight entertainment upgrades by budget airlines.
The study from Juniper Research entitled ‘In-Flight Entertainment & Wi-Fi Connectivity: Market Prospects 2015-2020’ says the economies of scale are making it affordable for low cost carriers flying short-haul routes.
It projects 10,400 jets will be Wi-Fi enabled by 2020, compared to an estimated 3,200 this year.
The report finds budget airlines are increasingly adopting the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model to stream online content, allowing passengers to use their own devices and thereby reducing IFE hardware costs.
However report author Gareth Owen cautions airlines over the potential security risks of a BYOD business model.
"Airlines must ensure that they address all types of risks, including that of a rogue passenger hacking into an aircraft’s avionic systems or servers, with potentially disastrous consequences."
