Corcoran Aviation provides a range of corporate and private travel services, including aircraft management, consulting, leasing, pilot and co-pilot services, and flight instruction (or, as founder Jonathan Corcoran describes it, “We take care of planes and fly people around.”) Approximately 75 percent of Corcoran’s passengers fly for business, while the remaining 25 percent fly for personal travel. Most trips average 1.5-2 hours with 3-4 passengers.
Corcoran and his team knew that they needed to add Wi-Fi to their fleet to remain competitive, but their personal experience drove the point home. “I knew it would be nice to have as a pilot,” Corcoran shares, “But when I flew on a commercial flight with Gogo Wi-Fi as a passenger, it changed the game. It was awesome. That’s when I knew it was time to upgrade.”
With that perspective, Corcoran decided to add internet connectivity to a Cessna Citation CJ3+ that the firm purchased brand new. The team selected the Gogo ATG inflight connectivity system based on word of mouth and its speed and pricing relative to the competition.
“Everyone said ‘You’ve got to go with Gogo.’ We chose Gogo because the speed was faster and the rates were better.”
It didn’t take long for Corcoran and his team to appreciate their decision. “Our first leg after we picked up the CJ3+ from the factory was from Wichita to Denver,” he remembers. “We had the Wi-Fi installed at the factory so it was ready to go. We all jumped on it immediately and decided that we never wanted to be on a plane without Wi-Fi ever again.”
Corcoran’s passengers agree. They typically ask for Wi-Fi “instantly” and use it the entire time they’re in flight – “If they’re not sleeping,” Corcoran laughs, “They’re online.” In Corcoran’s opinion, this significantly improves the customer experience. “Without Wi-Fi, you’re wondering, ‘How long is this flight? How long until I’m on the ground and back online?’ Not having Wi-Fi makes a trip feel much longer than it really is. It’s also much harder to be productive. You’re just sitting there, and our passengers can’t afford that.”
Gogo inflight connectivity has been a success from the business perspective as well. The hardware was installed by Textron, so Corcoran only had to make single phone call to be up and running. Since then, the customer service has continued to exceed expectations; “Our passengers have been using the service so much that we had to upgrade our plan,” he explains, “But before the billing cycle ended, I called in, requested an upgrade to the unlimited plan, and we were taken care of.” This level of support allows Corcoran Aviation to focus on their core service – providing an exceptional flying experience – instead of spending time managing technology.
For Corcoran Aviation, onboard Wi-Fi helps their passengers be more productive and improves customer experience. It benefits their pilots as well. “I definitely use flight planning apps and check weather,” Corcoran reveals, “But I have fun with it too.” Whether work or play, for pilots or passengers, Corcoran’s experience with Gogo has been a positive one. “If you’re on the fence,” concludes Corcoran, “Get on a plane with Wi-Fi and experience it. You’ll fall in love and there’s no way you’ll go back.”
