The WSJ’s latest “Middle Seat” column is about that holy grail for all internet-lovers — airplane Wi-Fi. It turns out that people love, love, love it… but pay for it? Nah.

According to the article, “in tests and now in regular service, usage drops off considerably when travelers must pay for the service.” Even Alaska Airlines, which only charges $1, saw a steep drop off in usage.

People think Wi-Fi should be free and some won’t use it if it’s not:

“It’s good for them to offer it, but would I pay for it? Probably not,” said Alex Smith, a business traveler from Cincinnati.

Mike Duguay from Boston used a free trial of Gogo on an AirTran flight earlier this week and decided he would pay for it on his flight home from Dallas.

“It should be free, but if you have to pay, I’ll definitely still use it,” he said. “Access in the air kills the boredom.”

In the Air, Wi-Fi Gets a Ho-Hum Reception [WSJ]
(Photo:kevindean)

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