Although flights have slowed down significantly this year, in-flight WiFi has seen an uptick. 

Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat Group Holdings Ltd. sheds light on the increase in in-flight internet use in a recent interview saying, “It suggests there’s some semblance of normality beginning to return to some segments of the aviation market.”

Pearce believes that there will be a form of recovery in short flights when travel restrictions are lifted. 

The increase of in-flight WiFi signals indicates that the travel industry has and is changing in the COVID-19 pandemic era. 

Since the pandemic, many people have found solace in the internet, turning to social media apps and video content as a form of escapism. 

Alexander Grous, an expert on airline strategy and economic at the London School of Economics tells Bloomberg, “Lots of users are basically two to three times more likely now to connect and stay connected on board than they were at the beginning of the year, before Covid.”

Although it’s not certain when the travel industry will fully bounce back, the uptick of in-flight WiFi usage suggests that travelers are willing to pay extra to stay connected while flying during this pandemic and beyond.