Travelers with Emirates will now have access to Wi-Fi. Travel Noire reports that the airline is providing passengers with free Wi-Fi when they sign up for its loyalty program, Emirates Skywards. With the new perk, travelers are able to stay connected, enjoy more entertainment options, or catch up on work, all while headed to their final destination.
The Dubai-based airline has invested more than $300 million to update its Boeing 777s and Airbus 380s with onboard internet connectivity, notes Simple Flying. The investment seems to have paid off, as the airline now serves an average of 450,000 passengers per month, representing a 30 percent increase in Wi-Fi usage compared to the same time period last year.
On routes through Europe and Africa, over 11 percent of passengers utilize the service. This figure is nearly double for passengers flying through the Americas, as approximately 20 percent of passengers utilize the service. Of all Emirates passengers, nearly 10 percent use the complimentary Wi-Fi.
Emirates’ complimentary Wi-Fi offer comes after the airline revealed plans to incorporate high-speed, in-flight broadband on its 50 upcoming Airbus A350s, which are scheduled to run starting in 2024. The service is run by Inmarsat’s GX Aviation, notes Travel Noire, and it is slated to increase connectivity speed and provide wider global coverage. The Airbus A350s will also be equipped with Thales’ AVANT Up system and Optiq, adding to travelers’ connectivity abilities. The latter, which is a smart display, offers two Bluetooth connections, built-in Wi-Fi for travelers to pair their devices, and a USB-C port that offers up to 60 watts of fast charging for personal devices.
Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine and 5280 Magazine discussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. You can reach Roshae via email at [email protected].
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