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Subscribe to RSSOn the ground, the Internet, Wi-Fi and portable mobile devices have completely transformed everything from shopping, working and dating to how we get our news and entertainment. But what about off the ground?
One of the last spaces yet to be completely changed by the Internet is the airline cabin, where in-flight entertainment systems with content controlled by the airline and delivered on seatback screens are still the norm.
But now that in-flight Wi-Fi is fast becoming ubiquitous and affordable — in some cases, free — and as an increasing number of people travel with their own mobile devices, many predict seatback systems will soon go the way of LPs, cassette tapes and film cameras.
“Connectivity will destroy the walled garden,” said Greg Dicum, co-founder and president of MondoWindo, a company that provides web-based, location-aware content to passengers traveling on Wi-Fi equipped planes. “I see no seatback systems on new planes in five years. Especially not on planes flying heavily traveled routes less than five hours in North America, Europe and Asia.
Dicum made his comments at the 2011 Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Expo in Seattle.
“It’s going to be harder to compete,” he said. People with their own devices who can get to a browser are going to be able to get much better content. And I, for one, would rather have the airline carry my bag or give me some legroom than buy me talking dog movies I have no intention of viewing.”
In an exhibition hall filled with scores of companies selling the latest in in-flight entertainment equipment and content, few agreed with Dicum’s declarations.
“It may happen. It probably will happen, but so far it’s not happening,” said Adrian Lambert, the head of marketing for IFE Services, a provider of in-flight entertainment. “Airlines moves quite slowly.”
“Yes, more people will bring their own devices, but are my mom and dad going to take an iPod or iTouch with them on vacation?” said Christopher Mondragon, senior manager, design and brand development for Thales Avionics, a provider of in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems.
As he demonstrated one of the company’s latest products — a screen that can be operated by gestures instead of a touchpad — and shared details about the company’s experiments with 3-D programming, he added, “I think it’s going to be more about merging technologies, being innovative and providing a unique experience to any age group.”
Other stories you might like:
- Virgin America unveils next generation of in-flight entertainment
- Beyond in-flight Wi-Fi: Their content, your device
- Devices may soom trump seatback entertainment
- Terminal technology: A look back, a look ahead
Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
its a sure thing. The airline's business model is now; if you want perks, bring your own. Decent food, drink, non-nasty pillow, now entertainment. Just like every other bus.
I'd guess the vast majority of domestic fliers don't get the seat-back entertainment anyway so what's the big deal?
Jetblue gives you 35 channels of cable TV free.
onewonan,
I'm with you...when was the last time the author took a domestic flight? I fly all the time, United and Delta in the last few months. I don't recall seeing any "seatback entertainment".
I haven't taken a trans-ocean flight except with the military, so I don't know what type of entertainment a regular flight might offer. A couple of years ago...say, 2006, I could watch a movie, 2007, I could watch some contracted TV shows on a pre-packaged NBC format. 2008 I took four three hour flights on Continental and United (Between Denver and LA) without any visual entertainment at all, one leg still offered the TV shows.
I flew back from Orlando on Monday, with some TV shows on Delta.
Military and onewoman
entertainment depends on the airline you fly. Internationally I mean. Fy AA and the only thing you get is a censored movie (they have to be kid sanitized) during an 8 and 1/2 hour flight. Delta not even that (this is if you have a flight and is not cancelled), Continental might give you 2 movies.
Fly on foreign lines: LAN (Chilean line for all South America) 40 to 50 hours of movies and the same on TV shows. TACA (Central America Line) a new non sanitized (PG max) movie for a 3 hour flight. Swiss, KLM, Lufthansa, Iberia, etc; same as in LAN.
The problem is not WiFi is the crappy customer service and archaic airplanes used by US airlines.
Phil Katz, cable TV on an airplane. Boy, that must be one heck of a long cable. I hope you meant satellite TV.
Yeah, I'm 67 years old, and I AM going to carry a laptop, or an iPad, or a portable DVD player...ANYTHING to keep from having to watch talking-dog movies, G-rated edits of romance-movies, episodes of laugh-track'd sit-coms from TV, and all of the other garbage that passes for "in-flight entertainment."
Like the man says, why don't you fly my bags for free, or give me more legroom instead of buying garbage I'm not going to watch?
I fly Virgin sometimes and a few time now flight attendants have told me that they can't wait for the touchscreens on seats to go away because they get lots of complaints from passengers about people hitting the screens too hard and annoying the person in front of them. I would much rather pay for wi-fi and choose my own entertainment.
I very recently flew on a 4-flight trip (with NO seat back entertainment), the longest of which was 10 hours. Apparently "complementary beverage service" on that major US carrier means... "Come to the back and get something"... 10 hour flight... not even any peanuts or crackers. Then on an overnight flight, I saw a flight attendant take a blanket from a child, because there were not enough for everyone, and apparently "those people in First Class paid more for their seats"... that's just wrong. Also, the same episodes of The Simpsons, Big Bang Theory, and Cash Cab played on all 4 planes... that's just not even trying.
I don't know how old Christopher Mondragon is, that he doesn't think his parents would have an iPad!!! I'm on the far side of 55 and I just got an iPad in part to have on flights for entertainment!! Don't patronize us, we're just as tech savvy as our kids....sometimes even more so!! Give us Wi-Fi and forget about the canned crap!!
I guess airlines don't view this as a possible cost cutting measure? With the progression and development of in-flight wi-fi, airlines should be able to purchase quality bandwidth (in bulk) and provide passengers the medium to choose their own entertainment. This should allow for the exclusion of "new, innovative 3-D and 'gesture' response screens" that would ultimately drive up the cost for airfare. Somebody's got to pay for it...hey, why not the customers?? We stuck it to 'em with the No Free Bag Deal...the enthrallment with these new technologies will soon fade. People will continue to carry a smart phone, laptop, and/or some device that allows web browsing.
Give us what we want. FREE bags--like the good ol days, MORE legroom, and please, spare us your DILUTED 'in-flight entertainment'.
I'd rather pay $25 for my suitcase and have a seatback entertainment center to keep my kids happy during long flights. I'm schlepping around enough stuff as it is with a diaper bag, car seat for my toddler, umbrella stroller, etc. without having to worry about bringing a portable DVD player along too (I don't have an iPad or netbook).
Double-post, sorry!
"many predict seatback systems will soon go the way of LPs, cassette tapes and film cameras."
Hate to tell the writer of this piece the news but LP's are alive and well to the point that Best Buy is selling them again. The place where I buy most of my LP's has over 25,000 new titles in stock. As someone in the industry the reality is that the format that is dying is CD's, often giving way to inferior sounding MP3 downloads.
Rick-1103809 - Come on...seriously...LPs are niche market at best. There aren't masses of people rushing out to purchase LP players. Best Buy readily admits that as much and that the reason they are selling LP's is because the selling price of roughly $23 per album gives them a healthy margin compared to CD sales.
I hate hauling a computer or other device with me. It's just extra baggage and an excuse for security to delay me. I have the Blackberry for the email. That will do. I DO like the seatback screens, but not for the movies. I enjoy playing Onboard Trivia with other passengers. If they don't want to provide that, I'll stick to my crossword puzzles.
Doesn't anyone read a book or write a letter anymore? Why do we feel the need to be constantly bombarded by "screens" of one sort or another? Cellphones, iPads, laptops, seatback entertainment! I guess I'm just old-fashioned.
WiFi killed the airline seatback entertaiment system.
Just doesn't have the ring needed to launch a music television channel...
Baggage fees make the air fare too high!
Baggage fees make the air fare too high!
Who needs movies or cheap WiFi,
When you can't afford to even reach the sky?
(apologies to The Buggles)
Probably not but it will kill SiriusXM in the car. Yippppeeee! No more talking to the idiot, lying and generally ignorant Fillipino's. HURRAY!!!!
It's sad that no one can entertain themselves anymore. I'm 23 and the only person my age I know that will carry a book wherever I go, especially on flights.
I would pay extra for any flight, on any airline, that would actually treat me, once again, like a human being. Those who are born 60, 70 or 80 years ago would know what I mean. The nice looking, cheerful young female staff, seats with plenty of leg room, meals that actually taste and look good served on large tray with real utensils, dishes and glasses, a free apple or a banana if you ask for one, all the drinks you can swallow and yes - that free and cheesy plastic badge or a pin with airline's logo that you can wear, which makes you feel like you've conquered the skies! That, my friends, is the real entertainment I'm interested in, not some DVD, CD, TV, make-my-mind-numb-and-spongy crap the "modern travelers" want so they can tune their brains out and cut themselves from the rest of the world that surrounds them. Enjoying a long flight is all about the comfort and pleasant interactions with other human beings on the flight and it shouldn't be reserved just for the "elite" or "high business class" folks. Nowadays nobody on a plane even tries to put on a smile, not the attendants, not the passengers. They all seem to be ill or look like zombies. Some get drunk for whatever reason. Flying is just a hassle and it was suppose to be the most exciting and pleasant experience a human being can have. Well, maybe 60, 70 or 80 years ago, anyway. There. I've got that off my chest.
Right on Croation, how the airline industry has changed, let alone all the additional security measures. Is this progress? I long for the pleasant stewardesses, full service and hassle free flying experience.
Well i think this is partially unlikely. It all comes down to battery life. When we hit super battery life where we can go 2-3 days of normal usage w/o a recharge and 1 full day w/o a recharge on heavily used devices then itll be a game changer. I mean really I cant use a fully charged DS or PSP or even a laptop from LA to tokyo on 1 charge.
If they keep it up..no doubt those relay waves from Wi-Fi will interfer with the planes controls..be call a sucide/mass murder by Wi-Fi...a first!
Always a first time for everything!
Still counting the days before those wackos commit suicide in the world trade center memorial pools...30 foot drop!
Why does everyone who sees us older people think we cannot operate a pc or Ipad. Please. We are just as smart as you are we just prefer to take our time these days. Really what the Frack is the hurry.
Why books are better than tablet computers on long-haul flights:
- If you drop your book, it's no big deal. If you drop your tablet computer, it's probably screwed.
- If somebody swipes your book, you can just get another one cheap. If somebody swipes your tablet computer, you're out major bucks plus your data.
- The flight crew will never tell you to turn off your book on takeoff and landing.
- Your book will never run out of battery power. If your tablet computer is anything like mine, you get about 2 hours of video before the battery goes bye-bye.
- If your plane crashes in the boonies and you have to light a fire to survive, your tablet computer won't burn worth a darn.
- The prudish little old lady in the seat next to you will never complain and whine about a racy passage in a book. She will probably beat you to death with her umbrella if you're watching Debbie Does Dallas on your tablet computer.
That is pretty dumb article (sorry Harriett). The only flights to offer decent in-flight movies are intercontinental flights and there is no internet service in the middle on the Pacific ocean. Or the Atlantic. On many continental flights you cannot hope for a glass of water, much less a movie...
Yes, all these things are great. But lets not forget.....your laptop, kindle, or what ever's battery only lasts so long. So very few planes have a post you can charge up your equipment. I carry spare batteries with me for my laptop....What a pain in the butt, not only the extra weight...but having to change out during a movie. And no your Ipad battery will not last forever either.....
Oh, and I have only seen power ports in first class, never in coach....And only once in Business class. And they are not all the same. Some are 12 volt DC, others are 277Volt DC ( what the plane uses for power). How about some nice 120Volt AC plugs on the plane?........
We can send men to the moon, split an atom.....but not put house hold current on a plane...LOL
It will not be replacing anything within the next 5 years. In-flight wireless is built to provide a plane of travelers with a connection to the internet for things like checking e-mail, or for a business traveler to connect to their company's terminal server. The connection from GoGo Inflight Internet was intermittent when I used it to dial into Remote Desktop, and that doesn't require nearly as much bandwidth as a video stream from Netflix would need.
[“Yes, more people will bring their own devices, but are my mom and dad going to take an iPod or iTouch with them on vacation?” said Christopher Mondragon, senior manager, design and brand development for Thales Avionics, a provider of in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems.]
The answer in one word is - YES! Yes they will bring their own device. Even riding in First Class which I often did as a young manager in a big corporation, I used the phone in the seat in front of me perhaps one time, two at the most. I could not stand the though of telling employees that worked under me that I made a $7 phone call or whatever it was at the time. I sparingly used my credit card to make phone calls from my room and only in the hotels that overcharged for the phone in the room.
Most of the folks around me today just use cell phones. Many have switched from a laptop to an iPad this year. Many have been stammering recently about a $99 HP Pad of some sort they got on a special going out of business sale.
wi-fi streaming from Internet over a sat connection will face scalability problems to deliver good video quality to iPad. Only possibility is to load the content (probably at lower bitrate if it is a 2 hours movie) , to get an even QoS.
Wi-fi streaming inside the plane is the most scalable solution, but content might be limited to what exists already with In Flight Entertainment, so lower cost for airline, no real change for consumers. This is still an expensive solution and can only be justified if the video service is coupled with Internet service.
Another way to solve the problem is to have people download their favorite shows prior to getting on the plane from their own library or a service operated by a 3rd party, on PC, ipod or iPad. Any takers for this idea ?
The airlines also like to have the IFE branded with their logo. Sky mall advertising and other paid promotions fill in the spaces on the overhead display. The good stuff is always on the AVOD (audio video on demand) equiped aircraft. The content is not censored and the choices are numerous.