Emirates passengers in all cabin classes can access free wi-fi as part of an enhancement to the carrier’s in-flight connectivity.
The upgrade has resulted in an additional 30,000 economy class passengers connecting to complimentary onboard wi-fi every week, according to the carrier.
However, travellers have to sign up to the Dubai airline’s Skywards loyalty scheme to access the connection.
Emirates has spent more than $300 million on onboard connectivity to ensure it is at the forefront of wi-fi developments.
Skywards members across any of four tiers travelling in any class have access to free app messaging.
Those in first class have unlimited free internet access, as do silver, gold and platinum Skywards members in business class. Platinum Skywards members have complimentary internet access in all classes.
The airline sees an average of 450,000 users a month, up by 30% year-on-year.
Almost 10% of all passengers are utilising the complimentary onboard wi-fi, with greatest usage on routes through the Americas, followed by European and Africa routes.
The airline is to introduce new high-speed, in-flight broadband powered by Inmarsat’s GX Aviation satellite network on 50 new Airbus A350s due to enter service from next year.
Retail, in-flight entertainment and connectivity senior vice president Patrick Brannelly said: “Emirates has persistently worked with our service providers to optimise and improve the connectivity experience.
“In March we delivered about 55% more data per customer session compared to early 2022 despite the number of sessions increasing by 68% in the same period.
“We will continue to work to invest in upgrades and enhancements, and our A350 aircraft will arrive with the next generation of satellite connectivity already equipped.”