JEK
Senior Insider
Airlines Give In-Flight Entertainment Options an Update
JULY 29, 2015
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CreditWard Sutton Advertisement
With more in-flight entertainment than ever, the longest flights can often seem short these days. On a recent trip to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, for example, I could build a list of video favorites from more than 100 movies, with options ranging from new Oscar nominees like “American Sniper” and “Mr. Turner” to classics like “Casablanca.”
Late in the 14-hour flight, as I started watching the documentary “Life Itself,” about the film critic Roger Ebert, the system alerted me that I wouldn’t have time to finish the two-hour movie before landing. I was still watching when the plane came to a full stop at the arrival gate.
This sort of experience was not a possibility even a few years ago. But to the good fortune of fliers, especially those on transoceanic journeys, the bulky video systems of the past are disappearing fast. No more watching the same video on a loop, or waiting for a flight attendant to turn on the system or shut it off 35 minutes before landing.
With the advent of digital content and onboard Wi-Fi, entertainment options have exploded, offering passengers more diversions in the sky, including Wi-Fi, more programming options and content available on your own portable device. It’s a small gift from an industry that has largely forsworn many other amenities, like free meals, pillows and blankets, and checked bags.
“Servers have come on the market that are affordable for airlines to use,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and founder of Atmosphere Research Group. “They can have hundreds or thousands of video titles, and as many audio titles, from pop artists to obscure world music and everything in between.”
A pioneer in showing live television in the air, JetBlue Airways now offers both free seat-back television shows and Wi-Fi on most of its planes (the whole fleet will be equipped by 2016), enabling passengers to catch a live Yankees game while also perusing their email. Beginning this fall, the airline will also offer content from Amazon Prime for members of the service.
In September, Virgin America will begin operating the first of 10 new aircraft equipped with superfast Wi-Fi, allowing users to stream movies or series from their Netflix account. The airline recently introduced high-quality surround sound on some pay-per-view content, including episodes of “Game of Thrones.” The system, coming to all planes next year, also features retro games like Pac-Man.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/travel/airlines-in-flight-entertainment-options.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share
JULY 29, 2015
Photo
CreditWard Sutton Advertisement
With more in-flight entertainment than ever, the longest flights can often seem short these days. On a recent trip to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, for example, I could build a list of video favorites from more than 100 movies, with options ranging from new Oscar nominees like “American Sniper” and “Mr. Turner” to classics like “Casablanca.”
Late in the 14-hour flight, as I started watching the documentary “Life Itself,” about the film critic Roger Ebert, the system alerted me that I wouldn’t have time to finish the two-hour movie before landing. I was still watching when the plane came to a full stop at the arrival gate.
This sort of experience was not a possibility even a few years ago. But to the good fortune of fliers, especially those on transoceanic journeys, the bulky video systems of the past are disappearing fast. No more watching the same video on a loop, or waiting for a flight attendant to turn on the system or shut it off 35 minutes before landing.
With the advent of digital content and onboard Wi-Fi, entertainment options have exploded, offering passengers more diversions in the sky, including Wi-Fi, more programming options and content available on your own portable device. It’s a small gift from an industry that has largely forsworn many other amenities, like free meals, pillows and blankets, and checked bags.
“Servers have come on the market that are affordable for airlines to use,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and founder of Atmosphere Research Group. “They can have hundreds or thousands of video titles, and as many audio titles, from pop artists to obscure world music and everything in between.”
A pioneer in showing live television in the air, JetBlue Airways now offers both free seat-back television shows and Wi-Fi on most of its planes (the whole fleet will be equipped by 2016), enabling passengers to catch a live Yankees game while also perusing their email. Beginning this fall, the airline will also offer content from Amazon Prime for members of the service.
In September, Virgin America will begin operating the first of 10 new aircraft equipped with superfast Wi-Fi, allowing users to stream movies or series from their Netflix account. The airline recently introduced high-quality surround sound on some pay-per-view content, including episodes of “Game of Thrones.” The system, coming to all planes next year, also features retro games like Pac-Man.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/travel/airlines-in-flight-entertainment-options.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share
