New In-Flight Mobile Device Rules Open Up Huge In-Flight Marketing Opportunities

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The New FAA Mobile Device Rules Open Up Huge In-Flight Marketing Opportunities, So Long As Passengers Buy Wi-Fi (Bloomberg Businessweek)
The FAA passed new rules that will allow U.S. airline passengers to use personal electronic devices at any time of the flight, instead of having to completely shut off the device when the aircraft is below 10,000 feet.

On top of the amended rule, many airlines are working to enhance their in-flight Wi-Fi service to allow for "gate-to-gate" quality access.

With extended time spent on mobile devices during the flight as well as higher quality Wi-Fi, many more opportunities for in-flight mobile marketing will surface.

For example, Mobile Marketer uses an airport car rental service as an example, claiming that service could target passengers with a mobile advertisement that could link to a registration landing page for a seamless car rental before the flight lands.

Unfortunately, demand for in-flight Wi-Fi remains suppressed, and caters mostly to the business travel crowd; power users who seek extra productivity. Wi-Fi provider Gogo claims just 6% of passengers actually pay for the service on an average flight. In order for in-flight mobile marketing potential to fully materialize, airlines will have to enhance their Wi-Fi offerings and cater to the leisurely users simply looking for better in-flight entertainment. Ultimately, the best-case scenario is moving to an era where in-flight Wi-Fi comes free of charge on every flight. Read >

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