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YEAR OF WiFi

YEAR OF WiFi

01/28/2019

2019 : The Year that Charters will Live or Die by WiFi

Business or pleasure, today’s top-tier charter customers are demanding in-flight connectivity. They’ve come to expect it just about anywhere on the planet they visit, and in between destinations is no exception.

Corporate execs, celebrities and jet setters are increasingly turning to charters for their own set of reasons. Whether it’s for security reasons, convenience, safety or just because they can afford it, it’s quickly becoming their go-to travel solution. And that spells unprecedented opportunities for today’s charter operators.

When it comes to expectations, size doesn’t seem to matter for this particular clientele. Whether you’re operating a large cabin singles or VIP jets, they expect the premium amenities and conveniences that come with the premium price tag.

Cabin WiFi: Not mandated, but a must-have.

Amenities in the charter business have changed dramatically since the early days. A hot coffee and a reading light just don’t cut it anymore. They’ve been replaced with hot meal service, a wide assortment of movies, satellite TV, and probably most important of all: in-flight WiFi connectivity.

 And it’s not just the seasoned vacationer looking to be entertained. It’s just as valued by the corporate clients who need to make every minute count.

Uptime isn’t just a request anymore. It’s a potential deal-breaker. The boss wants to make sure that whomever is traveling on the charter can keep working. Charters are expensive and making them cost-effective is critical. Having that tangible ROI in terms of productivity can go a long way in making the case.

 

 What does all this mean?

It means if your charter aircraft isn’t WiFi equipped, you may be missing out on opportunities. And, from a charter operator’s perspective, nothing is more expensive than an aircraft that’s sitting on the ramp. Which brings us to a potential misconception that WiFi itself is an expensive undertaking. Fact is, there are a number of solutions available that will bring the cost of off-aircraft connectivity down-to-earth. One example is the new AVANCE L3, inflight connectivity system from Gogo Business Aviation.

This inflight connectivity solution delivers the benefits of the company’s popular AVANCE platform to flight departments and passengers in a small, lightweight form factor, with the most affordable pricing options in business aviation.

Zack Schwendenman, our EVP of Avionics Sales says that Gogo designed the new AVANCE L3 system to provide a highperformance WiFi experience at a price that makes it attractive to charter aircraft customers. 

“One of the unique features that is especially attractive to charter operators is the ability to add or reduce system capabilities as their needs evolve.

The ability to control and manage the number of devices the charter operator allows to connect is a huge advantage. Customers don’t pay for more than they need and operators don’t charge for less than the customer uses.” He also adds that Gogo’s new smart router makes it easy to scale the system’s configuration up or down as requirements change.”

Charter operators can’t afford excess downtime

Another important consideration is choosing the right shop to do your WiFi upgrade. Over the past 40+ years, Leading Edge Avionics has performed hundreds of installations on a wide variety of aircraft types. So we know exactly what it takes to get you back up and running in no time flat. And more importantly, our installations work right the first time.

Our seasoned team has all the tools, equipment and expertise to make your installation fast and convenient for you with multiple location options to

provide installation & repair services to our customers,” adds Schwendenman. So with so few excuses to wait and so many reasons to make the switch now, we can confidently say that 2019 will indeed be the year where WiFi officially makes the transition from indemand amenity to absolute necessity. So don’t be left in the cold. If you don’t have WiFi already, it’s time to act.

For more information on Leading Edge Avionics cabin connectivity and WiFi capabilities or to learn more about our mobile capabilities, please contact:

Zack Schwendenman
(714) 955-6151
Zack.Schwendenman@LEAvionics.com