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According to speakers at last week's Global Connected Aircraft Summit in Washington, D.C., the airline industry has reached an inflection point in which connectivity is becoming a commodity, rather than just a luxury. During a conversation on the next generation of In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) services, panelists agreed that customer expectations have surpassed what many airlines are currently able to offer, and that businesses that wish to stay relevant will have to quickly improve the ways they exploit bandwidth.
"Here in the United States [connectivity] is an expectation. People fly on airplanes based on the fact there is Wi-Fi on the plane. No longer do everyday passengers expect to have a relaxing, unplugged two to four hour trip," said Jon Merritt, director of flight operations, CNS programs and cockpit technology for United Airlines.
Jon Norris, senior director of corporate sales and marketing for Panasonic Avionics, spoke similarly, stating that it's only a matter of time before the majority of Panasonic's airline customers that have not yet introduced connectivity start to do so. "Even those that have been slow to the game are making a commitment to move forward. Over the next five to 10 years, every commercial aircraft is going to have IFC. It's going to be a...