Bad Connexion
A few months ago, Boeing announced that they are shutting off their Connexion by Boeing service. CbB is a satellite-based service that provides in-flight wireless internet services to passengers on properly equipped airplanes. This month Boeing announced that the service will be offered free-of-charge until it shuts down in December. It comes as no surprise that the product failed.
Boeing miscalculated two things, in my opinion: first that passengers in the economy cabin really have no room to use a 12-15″ laptop computer and surf the net during the flight. The space situation becomes even more challenging when the person in the front reclines his seat, further reducing the available space.
The second thing that Boeing miscalculated is that passengers in business class would often use their time in the comfortable setting to rest and relax, not to send emails back to work. Even if everyone in business class used the service, the customer volume is not sufficient to sustain the service financially.
Boeing also neglected to take into consideration the limited power capacity of laptop batteries and the unavailability of power ports in the economy cabin.
Finally, Boeing failed to engage major US airlines to offer the service.
Personally, I’ll miss Connexion. I used it on a few occasions flying on Lufthansa (I was lucky enough to be bumped to business). Objectively, however, it was a good idea that was transformed into a poor product with very little forethought about the environment in which the product was offered.
