Ife

[Light Years]

Its been stated in several places by the company that they want to offer an improved IFE product. I've always said that this has replaced food as the "service" difference between carriers, not only on internationally but domestically now as well. In many cases LCCs offer a much better IFE program than the legacy airlines.

US Airways cut most of thiers after 9-11 but have slowly brought some of it back. This is what they currently offer.

A330- PTVs in both Economy and Envoy Class, includes on demand movies, shows, audio albums, airphone every seat, laptop power. No overhead PA monitors (safety demos and other public address must be done manually)

767- PTVs in Envoy (not as big selection as A330, terribly outdated system), Economy has projection movie screens, airphone every seat set

A319/A320/A321- Overhead video entertainment, audio channels, airfone every seat set (this is missing from some A319s and A321s), laptop power every seat. Feature films and short subjects are shown only on select flights, the system is used mainly for demo/PA purposes.

757- Same as A320 family but no laptop power.

737- some have overhead monitors, some dont. They are being removed when they go through maintenance. Airfone every seat set.

E170- None as present time but aircraft can be fitted with systems.

Express- none.

All IFE, even on transatlantic flights, is $5 for a headset in Coach/Economy. Please correct me if any of the above info is wrong.

JetBlue as we all know offers LiveTV in every seat on its A320 fleet, and will also place them on its E190 fleet when it debuts next year (mostly in US markets). No matter what flight your on, same product. This is another benefit of fleet standardization (also keep in mind they fly nothing under 100 seats and no tiny markets like US has).

Given the extremely short haul route system and plethora of aircraft types US uses it would be difficult to offer a standard product. For example, a flight to DFW could be on a 737 or an A320. A flight to MCI could be an E170 or a 737. You could go to PIT on a 757 and then shoved in an RJ all the way to MSP. This makes it difficult to standardize IFE by flight time.

What does everyone think US should offer, on what types, what flight times, keeping cost and such in mind etc? I have my own ideas but I'm interested in what others think.

I am going to request that this thread just be about Inflight Entertainment, there are plenty of threads about everything else. I know someone wants to come on and say how they are paying for it with pay cuts etc. Please dont hijack it into another argument. I'm tiring of this board and would like to talk about something painless for once.

 

[ITRADE]

How much would it cost to refurbish all the mailine seats to those faux leather seats??? Folks seem to like it. And Express has done it.

 

[tadjr]

Music on all the flights that have this capability (and make it known onboard that it is available).
On flights too short to offer a movie, show the short subjects. It could be sitcoms (I know they are supposedly expensive to show) or something from TLC/Discovery/History, etc. I know there have got to be a lot of cable shows/channels that would probably offer a good deal just to get the shows aired so more people would be exposed to it.
I noticed that the inflight entertainment on the last few flights was "sponsored" by an advertiser in the Attache magazine. This is great work. Let an advertiser sponsor the show and they get more advertising on the monitors in addition to the ad in the Attache. I'm sure there are companies that would jump at a chance to advertise this way (as long as it doesnt turn into one long ad on the monitor). It wasnt too bad and as long as they are offering something, I dont think most people would mind being shown an ad as "sponsored" by someone.

 

[PHL]

It's a huge investment to outfit all that electronic gadgetry in a plane after delivery. Better to have ordered the A319/320/321's with the video at every seat at the factory. The cost per plane would have been much cheaper than retrofitting now.

In a conversation I had wtih a manager of onboard services(based in CCY), he told me that UAIR was looking at options to outfit the 767 with the Sony Passport system(like on the A330). But that was before they entered chapter 11. It was also before rumors of the retirement of the 767's in favor of more A330's came to light. If new A330s come on line (instead of acquiring older ones from Asiana, etc.), hopefully they'll get the passport system too. It's a huge plus for the passengers on long haul flights.

If there were to be a refurb of the IFE on other aircraft, it would make most sense to do the 321s and 757's, since they are for more long haul flights. More revenue per passenger to help recover the costs sooner.

the 319/320s might be an option, but no time soon. most of those flights are under 3 hours.

Forget the 737s since they are likely headed out of the fleet, too.

 

[Light Years]

How much would it cost to refurbish all the mailine seats to those faux leather seats??? Folks seem to like it. And Express has done it.

People REALLY like those seats on the Embraer, with the headrests that you can raise like in a car. They look really modern too (especially the armrests). I would think they'd stay more "fresh" and be easier to clean as well.

I guess a concern would be pen marks. There seems to be a toddler flying around the US Airways system in First Class leaving ink all over the narrowbodies.

 

[ktflyhome]

People REALLY like those seats on the Embraer, with the headrests that you can raise like in a car. They look really modern too (especially the armrests). I would think they'd stay more "fresh" and be easier to clean as well.

I guess a concern would be pen marks. There seems to be a toddler flying around the US Airways system in First Class leaving ink all over the narrowbodies.

You can get thoses ink stains out in a jiffy with a squirt of Hairspray.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

People REALLY like those seats on the Embraer, with the headrests that you can raise like in a car. They look really modern too (especially the armrests). I would think they'd stay more "fresh" and be easier to clean as well.

I guess a concern would be pen marks. There seems to be a toddler flying around the US Airways system in First Class leaving ink all over the narrowbodies.

a little gremlin with pointy ears.... dripping in ink.

I just don't like seats with no lumbar support. Who has a body shapped like that? I always have to ask for a pillow or a blanket to go behind my back.

 

[ITRADE]

I guess a concern would be pen marks. There seems to be a toddler flying around the US Airways system in First Class leaving ink all over the narrowbodies.

Very, very true.

 

[Light Years]

Assuming US's future fleet will consists of Airbus widebodies, Airbus narrowbodies, Embraer small jets, and Canadair regional jets, I would think this might be the best.

A330 Family- Transatlantic ops only, if domestic presumedly long haul. As is but I would add Overhead monitors as well to broadcast Public Address information. You cant show a safety demo on the PTVs as you have no way of knowing if they are actually seeing it. The overhead, drop down monitors would be used for the safety demo, airport arrival and customs info (for US and Star Alliance hubs), progress reports and info, tutorial for the P@ssport sytem, marketing/level off info, and time could be rented out as ad space.

A320 Family- will be moving into Carribbean, Latin America, Transcon, and key business markets. Put the same P@ssport system as the A330 on it. While this is costly, its a major competitive response to LCCs, putting US on the same field product wise and above the legacy competition. I think the system US has, with its huge choice of movies, albums and shows, and the fact they they are on-demand and controlled by the passenger is a much better product than satelite television.

EJET Family- For starters, drop the Express and stop sabotaging the aircraft family that was practically built for an airline like US Airways. Since these will likely move into an array of jobs from high frequency key US cities to higher demand Express markets, and thinner midcon markets, it should have some form of IFE (again, JetBlue is putting PTVs in thiers and will likely send them to many of the same markets US will). There could be overhead monitors that show short subjects, not even entire shows, but music videos, movie trailers, clips from television shows, clips from morning TV, whatever, with a healthy dose of marketing for US and advertising space. The video would be a selection of the wider variety on the other fleets, short clips able to be stopped at any time depending on flight time. Obviously there would also be audio.

CRJ- None. In the next few years the 50 seat market is drying up, and 70 seaters will take alot of routes, relegating the RJs back to regional routes as they were intended. But while I'm at it, I was thinking about our premium travelers and no first class. US should determine the preferred seats on the RJs (exit rows etc) and put an airfone and laptop power in those select seats. Print a manifest for the F/A/s
so they know where higher level DM members are sitting, and dont charge them for drinks etc. Its a small gesture but shows we appreciate them.

Headsets would be $5, and fold neatly into a little case. You buy them once and keep them. They would be available for purchase at stands airside in US hubs, and at select ticket counters and onboard some aircraft.

 

[Art at ISP]

We would only need look to UA for an interesting IFE product. Although they have the same or similar systems as we do, they show videos on flights as short as 90 minutes (short features between ORD and LGA, movies on Midcons or longer). They are all sponsored, which would be a revenue generating plan.

Another UA exclusive which I would love to see at US is Channel 9--monitoring of ATC communicatins. UA has begun to push this as an exclusive feature mentioned in all PA announcements about entertainment. As a pilot as well as a VFF I really enjoy being able to listen in, as I understand what's going on.

A final thought, UA does not charge at all for headsets, I believe. They are always free in all cabins.

My best to you all....

 

[Light Years]

Our current systems match or better what United has (UA has no video on their 737s). Theres no reason why US shouldnt have the same offerings. As for Channel 9, alot of pilots are uncomfortable with the idea (I think I would be too), although they have the option of turning it on or off.

I say US should go one better with the PTVs, if they did I think the one-time $5 fee for a headset is acceptable. Otherwise, if the inflight entertainment stays at it is now, few and far between and non-standard, then it should be free.

Also, not a bash at the senior F/As or anything, but as a frequent non-revver and furloughed F/A I think a review of the Mastushiba system on the Airbus might be needed. I've "saved the day" as a non-rev a few times. It seems every flight I'm on the monitors go up, then down, then up, like the legs of a Rockette. Then they stay up and the guy starts talking about golf courses in Scotland when its supposed to be the safety demo. It gives a really unprofessional impression and makes people wonder what else is wrong with the plane if they cant even get it to show Under the Tuscan Sun.

 

[diogenes]

L.Y.

You slay me!

I thought Lane was right for the role - wearing well and scrumptious!

 

[ktflyhome]

LightYears: You just have to understand that for the first time in the career of many of these "senior" F/A's they are actually flying 2,3,4 day trips as opposed to 25-30 years of nothing but "all-nighters" on a DC-9.

 

[toddtravels]

I just flew home from FRA on Northwest's new A330. They not only have the PTVs,but also about a 20" monitor mounted on every cabin divider. They use them, along with the PTVs, for the Safety Demo. They also use them for Customs/Immigrations info and a bit of marketing. At the PTVs, they also offer games. This is something US hinted at doing when they first started receiving the A330s. That idea kinda died after 9/11 and post-bankruptcy. I have to admit that Northwest's movie selection sucked and there was no where near the selection US has. Also there were only 2 choices of "shorts", whereas US offers the choice of viewing individual sit coms and shows. Another things NWA has is the ability to create your own playlist on the audio side of the IFE. Really cool. All in all, the experience was a good one and US could learn a thing or two from NWA (like adding a lower deck crew rest area with a personnel lift and bunks)!

 

[700UW]

There are games on US A330