US upgrade new fiber optic in-flight entertainment system

[N965VJ]

You know where IFE is really beneficial to the FF?

When the rugrat seated behind them is quietly contented watching a Disney flick.

 

[CynicalResAgent]

I still say that something as simple as a power outlet for ipods to recharge and a power outlet for laptops would be very nice to have. They could install those with minimal cost and they would not go out of date very quickly. At the speed at which things like ipods and cell phones and laptops have both increased in their capabilities and decreased in cost a lot of people have them and bring their own entertainment.

I think investing in an IFE is a good move but I think that the technology is changing a lot faster than it has in the past. In the past, like when they put the IFE in the 330, five years down the road comparable IFE's were probably very similar. I'd imagine that 5 years from now the new IFE's would be a lot different than the ones today offering more features at a lower cost and less weight.

I think on the other hand simply providing power for customers to use their own device which will change in capabilites at their own speed would be a much more cost effective way to go. The power options won't change as fast. Laptop batteries have changed much slower than laptop performance, size, and other features.

 

[US1YFARE]

You have to have a level of service better or equal to your competitors, otherwise you fail.

Simple business facts, too hard to comprehend?

for the juveniles running the show, yes, it is.

 

[AstroLounge]

If everyone jumped off a bridge , would you jump too ?

I can't say I would jump under ANY circumstance but I sure as heck would like to throw Team Tempe from the bridge. If for any reason, sh*ts and giggles! (And Shambles......you're going HEADFIRST!) talk about USELESS.

 

[A330US]

Investing in the IFE system is a great thing.

I just got back to CLT today from LGW, and the IFE we have on the A330 is still a very marvelous system, after 7-9 years the system is still great, it probably beats UAs IFE system for sure, and it is very stable, i had no problems whatsoever with the system, speaking of the system, isnt the system a Sony AVOD system ? when the IFE started it up, it had a rockwell collins screen.

 

[SS255]

I just got back to CLT today from LGW, and the IFE we have on the A330 is still a very marvelous system, after 7-9 years the system is still great, it probably beats UAs IFE system for sure, and it is very stable, i had no problems whatsoever with the system, speaking of the system, isnt the system a Sony AVOD system ? when the IFE started it up, it had a rockwell collins screen.

I believe the system was developed by Sony Transcom. Rockwell Collins bought Sony Transcom several years ago....I don't know the exact year, but it had to have been at least 8 or 9 years ago.

 

[N965VJ]

Before this topic goes by the waist side, I thought I would pull a few quotes out of the original story.

Anybody notice the undercurrent of being more concerned with costs than customer satisfaction? How about not bothering to ask customers what they want?

(Bolding is mine)

<SNIP>The goal is to give US Airways an edge over its competitors in the race for passenger loyalty, while also boosting revenue.

<>

Travis Christ, US Airways' vice president of sales and marketing, credits the renewed focus on in-flight entertainment to the development of smaller, more economical systems as well as airlines' improved financial health.

The costs of a bulky system aren't inconsequential, adding up to tens of millions of dollars a year in additional fuel when fuel prices are high like they are now.

"We're entering a new era in in-flight entertainment that all of a sudden works not only for a customer, but also works from the airline's perspective," he said.

<>

"We think this will be attractive to a much greater percentage of people on the plane," Christ said. He said the airline has studied passenger behavior on planes to arrive at that conclusion. "You don't ask them what they do, you look at what they really do," he said.

 

[NoMoreKoolAid]

Shouldn't we offer something that caters to our customers rather than these high tech doohickies? How on earth are Ma & Pa kettle gonna know how to use those fancy seat-back TV's without a remote control or those big metal dials?

and now featuring...

INFLIGHT TWISTER!

Good one Segmentking!