Qantas axes in-flight Internet after poor take-up

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian airline Qantas's trial of in-flight Internet access has been shelved due to a lack of interest from passengers who prefer to sleep or enjoy a rare break from the online world while flying.

Qantas began a service in March which gave travellers on Airbus A380s flying to Los Angeles and London in-flight connectivity using their personal Wi-Fi-enabled laptops and other electronic devices.

But it said Tuesday that while keen to offer the Wi-Fi service to long-haul passengers, less than five percent of customers had made use of it and it was discontinued last month.

"The commercial trial found that the customer take-up of the Wi-Fi service was extremely low," a spokesman said.