I've been pretty quiet on these boards as of late but this subject brought me out of hibernation. Just when I think I have seen it all this comes along. One of the larger more unwise knee-jerk reactions I have seen from Tempe so far. Here are a few random points I want to discuss.
I realize headset sales are very low and costs to show a movie are way up but the old adige is apparent here, if you make a Pizza so cheap as far as topping's an ingreediant's then knowbody wants to buy it.
The first of the two big winners here are Southwest. Folks who flew US on longer segments in part due to IFE and maybe never considered WN for a Transon or similar flight are probably giving them a second look, especially knowing they won't get nickeled and dimmed on WN.
The other winner are those who hate the level off video. I never thought it was that bad but I fly much less often than many on this board, customer and employee alike so perhaps I to would learn to hate it if seen so often. At least it will be gone on most flights.
I had not flown US in almost a year so on my recent 321 flight from CLT to LGA when the screens stayed down after the level off I was expecting to see the trivia thing (sorry it's name escapes me, getting old) but instead the new (for me) Travel Channel silent program was shown. From where I was sitting, and looking around the completely full mini cabin between F and the L2/R2 doors EVERYONE was watching this mildly entertaining program that at least kept my attention and it did not suck. The flight seemed to pass in half the time it normally does, and it was turned off just prior to landing.
Couldn't US just stop showing movies and develop other similar type programs where the provider assorbes most of the cost as it would benefit them? I am not talking infomercials but something along the line of destination guides or other similar products. Perhaps a TV network wants to hook viewers on a new show and they would pay US to air it to aquire new viewers?
Anyway since Tempe is known to monitor these boards here are my top two suggestions assuming this plan actually happens.
Purchase mini digi players like AS has for F class passengers on transcon and maybe longer Caribbean flights.
When you start removing the video and audio from the non ETOPS 757's it would probably be a good idea to NOT remove it from the 6 or 7 East Non etops 757's that are slated for ETOPS conversion. I would hope and presume someone in MTC planning already thought of that but maybe would be shot down by somebody higher up in a different dept in HDQ.
And finally a question for those in MTC who do this sort of work. I read somewhere that each aircraft could have its IFE removed in a single overnight check. I would think it would be much more involved and time consuming than that? Wouldn't each aircraft have to be re weighed? Just curious how simple it really is, and how long each aircraft would be out of revenue service, would a ferry flight to MCN or BFM be required? As what I read seemed very sugar coated and just to easy?
Regards
LGA777
....they are making any knee-jerk decision that "on paper" seems to save money, cut expenses or raises revenue without considering any of the effects of their actions.
