Free wi-fi on some international Qantas flights is music to the ears of Australian business travellers, a survey shows, but competition in the sector remains stiff.
Last week, Qantas joined a host of international carriers including JetBlue, China Eastern, Norwegian Airlines and Air New Zealand in launching free wi-fi on select international flights.
The rollout, delayed from December, will start with routes to southeast Asia before branching out to New Zealand flights.
Roughly one third of travel managers cited wi-fi connectivity as the most in-demand air travel upgrade among business travellers, according to a Corporate Traveller survey.
"The research found that in-flight wi-fi was the most in-demand service that airlines could offer, with 35 per cent of its team identifying it as the most significant upgrade needed for travellers in 2025 and beyond," said Tom Walley, the travel management firm's global managing director.
"The data from our experts tells us that connectivity is key, and it's a must-have for corporate travellers needing to make the most of idle time in the air."
Major airlines including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways offer free wi-fi to frequent flyer members, or at a cost to regular passengers.
"Seamless connectivity - whether it be for business or to kick back with a movie - is a must, so it's of little surprise that when we asked about an in-flight digital detox with no Wi-Fi or screens, 61 per cent of our experts gave a resounding 'no'," Mr Walley said.
In many cases, including Qantas up until last week, wi-fi has been limited to domestic flights due to connectivity issues, which have eased amid improving satellite technology and penetration.
Qantas' main domestic rival, Virgin, offers free wi-fi for Velocity members and business class passengers, or a paid service for regular punters.
Other players offer "free" wi-fi with a limited data cap as low as 10 megabytes and then charge for bigger packages.
"As we see airlines improve their offering in this space, it means that travellers can effectively stay connected, manage their workload, and maximise productivity during flights," Mr Walley said.
The survey's business traveller wish-list also included more personal space and privacy partitions, along with ergonomic seating and flat-folding seats for sleeping in business class.
