Your In-Flight Movie Screen Is Going Extinct

[MULTIZ321]

Your In-Flight Movie Screen is Going Extinct
By Justin Bachman/ Travel/ Bloomberg Pursuits/ bloomberg.com

"Book a domestic flight on any of the Big Three U.S. airlines, and you won’t be sure whether the seat in front of you has a screen. Some do, while most don’t. Eventually maybe none will.

The proliferation of iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, in tandem with increasingly reliable inflight Wi-Fi, has led to a profound shift by many airlines, which now view entertainment on shorter flights as best delivered wirelessly, without the expense or hassles posed by screens.

As with most things on an airplane, the determining factor is poundage. Planting a screen in each seat adds weight, which burns additional fuel, which costs more money. On top of that, the screens have a tendency to break as people poke and punch them—often to the annoyance of the passenger in front of them. Today, the new kid on the block for in-flight entertainment, or IFE, is personal-device entertainment—the ability to stream TV and movies to passenger gadgets from a server on the plane. This video is typically free, although United still charges as much as $7.99 to watch live television channels on planes equipped with DirecTV.

“For domestic flights, I really do see the industry trending toward streaming IFE,” said Jason Rabinowitz, director of airline research at Routehappy Inc., a New York company that tracks airline amenities. “It’s cheap for airlines to install, there’s no wiring, no weight penalty. These systems can be installed virtually overnight, and the costs to maintain these things are virtually nothing.”...."

Richard

 

[dougp26364]

Honestly, I could see this one coming. I've rarely used the in-seat screen since purchasing our iPad mini's. We typically rent movies before we travel and watch what we want vs what might be offered in-flight. Besides choosing what we want, it's often less expensive than the airlines. Depending on the airline and price I'll sometimes pay for in-flight wifi. The only thing I'll miss is putting the flight map up on the back seat screen while I'm watching something on the iPad.

 

[WinniWoman]

No like. I like those screens. I try not to take a computer or Kindle fire with me and the i phone screen is too small.

 

[pedro47]

First in flight meals, then snacks, then peanuts and now the movie screens. Watch out they are going to do away with carry on luggage.

 

[WinniWoman]

First in flight meals, then snacks, then peanuts and now the movie screens. Watch out they are going to do away with carry on luggage.

Soon they will get rid of the seats as well. Maybe people will have to stand the whole time or be put into the cargo area. Then will go the bathrooms. As I always say- they should be paying US to fly!

 

["Roger"]

Here is another article on the topic. (Click on "Here")

On the whole, I won't miss the screens on domestic flights in that trying to cram a movie in is always iffy. However ...

The thing that sticks out for me in this article is the idea without the in-flight screens airlines can install thinner seats and accommodate (word used loosely) more passengers. I've already been on some flights where the seats were so thin that they were downright uncomfortable. Also, this will just increase the competition for overhead storage.

 

[rboesl]

First in flight meals, then snacks, then peanuts and now the movie screens. Watch out they are going to do away with carry on luggage.

They're already working on that! The new Economy fares which means no overhead carry on storage.

 

[isisdave]

We're flying to Hawaii on Alaska this week (that always strikes me as funny ... does Hawaiian fly to Anchorage?) and the "get ready" email I received recently encourages me to download "gogo entertainment" onto my devices before the flight, as that's how the "Alaska Beyond" free entertainment will be delivered. GoGo, as you may know, is an in-flight entertainment and Internet provider.

My T-mobile phone gets a free hour of WiFi (hmm, I wonder if that's true mid-Pacific) and unlimited texting while on GoGo-served aircraft. Everybody's partnered up these days.

 

[SmithOp]

We're flying to Hawaii on Alaska this week (that always strikes me as funny ... does Hawaiian fly to Anchorage?) and the "get ready" email I received recently encourages me to download "gogo entertainment" onto my devices before the flight, as that's how the "Alaska Beyond" free entertainment will be delivered. GoGo, as you may know, is an in-flight entertainment and Internet provider.

My T-mobile phone gets a free hour of WiFi (hmm, I wonder if that's true mid-Pacific) and unlimited texting while on GoGo-served aircraft. Everybody's partnered up these days.

Take their advice and download before boarding, I tried to download it on a flight and it never finished on a 3 hour flight.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[LannyPC]

Soon they will get rid of the seats as well. Maybe people will have to stand the whole time or be put into the cargo area.

I'm assuming you're saying that rather facetiously and sarcastically. It does seem like airlines are doing away with so many things. TBS, I honestly can't see people standing. That would violate several FAA regulations, especially during takeoff and landing.

But as for the original topic, I have little problem with airlines doing away with screens. I rarely use them. I just use my tablet computer and/or smart phone. Net Flix is now letting customers download programs. And I can pause and play them at my convenience.

 

[WinniWoman]

I'm assuming you're saying that rather facetiously and sarcastically. It does seem like airlines are doing away with so many things. TBS, I honestly can't see people standing. That would violate several FAA regulations, especially during takeoff and landing.

But as for the original topic, I have little problem with airlines doing away with screens. I rarely use them. I just use my tablet computer and/or smart phone. Net Flix is now letting customers download programs. And I can pause and play them at my convenience.

Well, of course. But don't think they haven't considered it!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...4--funded-charging-passengers-use-toilet.html

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/10/travel/standing-cabin-plane-study/index.html

For me, I like the screens and I think they should keep them.

 

[dioxide45]

Another thing to consider, the seat back screen doesn't require the tray table to be lowered to watch which is needed if you want to watch something on your tablet. Not that they serve meals on many planes, but you really can't eat and watch something on your tablet like you could do with a seat back screen.