Airline Replaces In-Flight Entertainment Units With iPads

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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Could this be the future trend of airline entertainment? Qantas is replacing its expensive to purchase and operate in-flight entertainment units with iPads programmed with 200 hours of television and audio. Qantas began testing the concept last February and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Passengers that own an iPad, laptop or smartphone will be able to view the same content through a separate application, but it is unclear when this feature will be introduced.
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What's an "in-flight entertainment unit"? Those lame screens on the back of the chair in front of you? Or something else?
 
Next in the news: Qantas Declares Bankruptcy! Unnamed Inside Sources Point to Losses Stemming from Rampant iPad Theft!
 
200 hours isn't that much content when you don't get to choose which 200 hours. I think we're all familiar with the "1000 channels of television but nothing worth watching" scenario...Even if every show was only 30 minutes, that would be 500 hours of programming.
 
I doubt they'll be easy to steal by passengers. The iPads will have a charging cable and probably those security devices that scream bloody murder if they are detached.
 
colinstu said:
What's an "in-flight entertainment unit"? Those lame screens on the back of the chair in front of you? Or something else?
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Lol lame...I remember when I used to fly back in the early 2000's and you didn't even get a "lame screen". :rolleyes:
 
xIronCrossx said:
Lol lame...I remember when I used to fly back in the early 2000's and you didn't even get a "lame screen". :rolleyes:
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I've never been in a plane that had them either. People have told stories about them to me though and they sounded lame imo
 
colinstu said:
I've never been in a plane that had them either. People have told stories about them to me though and they sounded lame imo
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Not sure what they were flying, but Continental(United now) always had decent ones. They are much better now, more movies and TV shows you can choose from. Last flight I had tons of movies to choose from, including a lot of pretty new ones.
 
colinstu said:
What's an "in-flight entertainment unit"? Those lame screens on the back of the chair in front of you? Or something else?
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http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8011/7168751273_c768298d3b.jpg

Depending on the airline, model, and the class you're in, it varies. Usually has TV shows/movies/camera views (i.e. tailwing), ability to hook up your USB device (watch/listen to your own stuff). It's not lame when you're on a 16 hour flight.
 
xIronCrossx said:
Not sure what they were flying, but Continental(United now) always had decent ones. They are much better now, more movies and TV shows you can choose from. Last flight I had tons of movies to choose from, including a lot of pretty new ones.
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It's been awhile ago. I just assumed they haven't changed the systems they added over half a decade ago.

*thinks about the 80s crt screens on planes that only half work* I didn't know airlines actually gave a crap!
 
So many cynics on this site. Not every customer facing change a corporation makes, is a negative one. Put an iPad and it's 200 hours of select entertainment up against the 2 shitty movie options I was presented with on my last flight.

The cost of maintenance for an iPad vs the traditional in-flight setups is way cheaper. Plus they can let go of those lucrative service contracts they are anchored to now.

Like it or not, it takes very little to do the switchover and I can't imagine a single complaint by the consumer.
 
they are in big chunky cases so i dont think you can break them. the cases have an extra battery in them too...and you have to give your license when you get the ipad which you get back when you hand it in...
 
FoBZY said:
they are in big chunky cases so i dont think you can break them. the cases have an extra battery in them too...and you have to give your license when you get the ipad which you get back when you hand it in...
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Getting a fake drivers' license isn't that hard to do and it's a lot cheaper than an iPad. Then again, they probably have a way to track them after they're stolen...if you don't have a way of wiping and scrubbing them.

I don't see how this is going to be cheaper or less expensive than an in-aircraft system though. The staff needed to maintain devices, the time to load and cost of acquiring media, and the unavoidable replacement costs all add up against the TCO of each iPad. It strikes me as more rather than less expensive.
 
xIronCrossx said:
Lol lame...I remember when I used to fly back in the early 2000's and you didn't even get a "lame screen". :rolleyes:
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Yeah, I remember back in the day before individual screens there would be one or two large screens (40-50" maybe?) per cabin. And there was only one movie, so if you'd already seen it or weren't interested in it, tough noogies.

Plus, since it was publicly viewable to everyone on the plane (even to those who didn't want to rent a headset to listen), they had to keep it "family friendly", so even PG-13 movies would be edited.

Kueller said:
200 hours isn't that much content when you don't get to choose which 200 hours. I think we're all familiar with the "1000 channels of television but nothing worth watching" scenario...Even if every show was only 30 minutes, that would be 500 hours of programming.
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With 200 hours of programming, I'm sure I could find something worth watching, even on a long-haul international flight.

Again, they have to keep it family friendly, as there might be a child watching, so no nudity, no profanity, no real violence, and the #1 rule of in-flight programming...

No airplane disaster flicks. :)
 
colinstu said:
I've never been in a plane that had them either. People have told stories about them to me though and they sounded lame imo
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My second time going to Armenia I flew on Virgin and they had the ones behind the seat in front of you. I watched Disturbia that way :cool: and it had only come out a few months ago.
 
Kueller said:
200 hours isn't that much content when you don't get to choose which 200 hours. I think we're all familiar with the "1000 channels of television but nothing worth watching" scenario...Even if every show was only 30 minutes, that would be 500 hours of programming.
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It's probably refreshed with current content every few months.
50 or so movies and other content.
 
SkribbelKat said:
Getting a fake drivers' license isn't that hard to do and it's a lot cheaper than an iPad. Then again, they probably have a way to track them after they're stolen...if you don't have a way of wiping and scrubbing them.

I don't see how this is going to be cheaper or less expensive than an in-aircraft system though. The staff needed to maintain devices, the time to load and cost of acquiring media, and the unavoidable replacement costs all add up against the TCO of each iPad. It strikes me as more rather than less expensive.
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The validation requirements of IFE systems are extensive, time consuming, and therefore expensive. By the time it gets through the design and validation process, it'll already be somewhat outdated. It'll also be very expensive to rip up existing outdated systems and replace them with new systems. This is particularly the case if the airline is flying older jets that it might want to replace in the near future.

A ipad is a poor replacement for a real IFE system, IMO. It's got to be a pain to always have the tray table down, and you can't watch during meals.
 
Hey Quantas, welcome to 2003 when Alaska Airlines introduced the DigE player on its flights. Yes, it's a bit more clunky than an iPad, but they have been using a portable unit for going on almost 10 years now.

It's only given to passengers who fork out the $5 for it, or free on first class. Works well.

In fact, I am pretty sure that Alaska Airlines is the only one (maybe one of two, if Southwest counts) airline that consistently remained profitable after 9/11.
 
Lethal said:
Again, they have to keep it family friendly, as there might be a child watching, so no nudity, no profanity, no real violence, and the #1 rule of in-flight programming...

No airplane disaster flicks. :)
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When I flew with British Airways they had War of the Worlds (which includes an airplane crash, there was also another one, but I don't remember which). :D

What was slightly disturbing about that though was that when we got the the destination, there was pink lightning...(also it had that Cruise guy in it...he's creepy)
 
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