Don’t you feel your connection to the world is unplugged when you step into a plane? I am sure watching movies or listening to music in the plane are not some activities that thrill you when you are nervous of not being able to contact your coworkers, friends, or family when you are in a plane. Because of that, the demand of text messages (SMS) is growing big, and according to Freesky Research, airline passengers will send over 60 million text messages in 2010.

In flight messaging tools will soon be an essential component of serving business travelers, and airlines will ultimately be forced to improve cabin data services in order to retain business customers, according to a soon-to-be-released study from Freesky Research.

“The In Flight Productivity market is developing very differently from the In Flight Entertainment market that has preceded it,” according to David Gross, author of the report. “Unlike seatback TVs, and even in flight audio, which many major carriers have decided are not worth copying, large airlines will feel pressure on one side from low cost carriers, many of which are developing text and e-mail services, and on the other side from large business jet owners, many of which already offer their employees Internet access on board company planes. Text messaging, e-mail, and other productivity applications will eventually become as important to serving high yield customers as lie-flat beds in first class, and elite status benefits for frequent fliers.”