The Connectivity Challenge

Sky-high hopes for inflight wi-fi on local airlines

With Qantas, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand launching inflight connectivity in 2017, and a record number of overseas airlines offering internet access to passengers on flights into the region, this year looks to be one of the most revolutionary for the aviation industry in a decade.

But why is inflight connectivity so complex, why has it taken so long for local carriers to commit, and what’s coming up on the horizon? The answer is both more and exactly as complicated than “you’re connecting to the internet while hurtling through the sky in a Faraday cage at nearly the speed of sound”.