British Airways will shortly be launching a new entertainment option, as reported by PYOK. This seems positive, on the surface. However, one wonders what British Airways’ real motive here is…
Continue reading: British Airways’ Suspicious Streaming Entertainment “Enhancement”
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I'll all hands in favour of entertainment on one's own device. Who wants to spend half an hour trying to understand how an outdated UI is working while you could just use Netflix instead (and get better content)?
Not everyone is keen to drain their device’s and headset’s battery and take extra space positioning it in the already crammed space.
This wouldn't be as big of an issue if an airline had high speed wifi that is available for free and capable of streaming as well. It should also have a moving live map feature as well. If that is the case, then I'm all for it.
Nowadays, most if not all people have their own personal tablets. Now, I do think that if an airline was to get rid of IFE in economy on long-haul flights, then they should also stock some extra tablets that can be loaned to passengers who don't have their own device. People's devices can break, and there may be families who don't have enough personal tablets for everyone. Unfortunately, I doubt BA would go that route should they eliminate seatback screens on widebodies. So I am still skeptical and personally I wouldn't like the industry going in this direction.
All they need to do is offer free, fast WiFi that actually works and they will never have to worry about IFE again
I fly on older BA A320s all the time and there's nowhere within your eyeline to attach your own device. They don't have device holders like other airlines do (and I have 3 different versions of a phone cradle that doesn't attach anywhere either), so you end up with your phone propped up on the tray table and a stiff neck after an hour 🙁
How do safety briefings currently work on wide-body aircraft without seat back screens? I've never had that experience. Are there a dozen flight attendants scattered throughout the aircraft demonstrating how to buckle the seat belt?
I've seen that on a BA 777 when the screens were not functioning and push-back wasn't going to be delayed "We'll reboot it after take-off". The purser had the usual bag of belts and lifejackets that she handed out to FAs. Just one FA did her physical demo at the front of the huge Y section. I guess those who couldn't see her clearly went back to their books/phones as per usual.....
AA eliminated the screens in their narrowbodies and it was a mistake now they lag behing UA and DL so BA eliminating it in long haul widebodies it would be even worse.
"Streaming entertainment is very much the norm on long haul flights, "
Did you mean seat back entertainment here instead?
I wonder if BA or any other airline will test a cheaper form (less integrated in the to seat) of seat back entertainment, by handing out tablet screen to use as people board (concept used for some business/first class before). I think device cost would be less, and it would be easier to do maintenence work but maybe maintenance frequency will increase.
As someone who uses the small iPhone SE (super practical), I am definitely not interested to watch any in-flight movies on my device (nor am I downloading e-journals, I rather bring my own).
But, as airlines have the right to offer any service they choose and/or introduce whatever novelty they want, I on the other hand have a right to take my money where I feel I get the best value for.
I remember reading that Delta uses a solution on their newer aircraft which is basically a tablet, making it lighter and also easier to maintain.
No problem without seatback screens for me. I never use them for anything except the flight map. Just give me a device holder.
I have a 16 Pro, slightly bigger than yours but I wouldn't use it either. It's not even a matter of screen size, the IFE screen is comfortably positioned in front of my eyes, meanwhile I can only keep my phone on the tray table.
And not everyone has screens on their pocket. Take a family with gramps and multiple little children, now how do you manage that situation? iPads don’t grow on trees
Many of their long-haul screens on aging planes are glitchy at best. I'm sure they'd like to be like their oneworld partner AA and try and go without screens. But even AA kept them on long-haul. Personally I'd be ok without a screen, but I can understand why they are better to have than not on long haul.
These days, whenever I see many new ideas coming from airline boardrooms, it rings "Yet another stupid idea generated in the name of supposed 'customer feedback' ".
For the record, I don't use a smartphone or tablet/Ipad (though I have a laptop). So having an IFE to use is pretty nice, and although I don't watch very many TVs or films to reduce screen time onboard, I quite like inflight maps.
Considering the progress Delta and United have made in adding inflight screens on short haul flights, this would be a step in the wrong direction if IFE is extinct. But wouldn't be surprising given BA only stands for Bloody Awful once again.
Not relevant to the article, but hard not to notice similar trajectories between British Airways and Great Britain. Once great, majestic, and hopeful brands tarnished by a culture of mediocrity and no frills.
Good. I don't need people constantly poking the back of my seat on a transatlantic flight. Or an overnight flight lit up with the glow of a bunch of seatbacks screens that are on but not actually being watched.
I'm just off a BA longhaul during which the wifi didn't work at all but the IFE, terrible as it was, did. Imagine the howls and screams of protest from parents who need to lock down their kids with cartoons for those seven hours for it to be a manageable experience if wifi not working meant no entertainment. Imagine the screams and cries of children torturing everyone else. Personally, I also don't want to have to worry about taking an iPad everywhere (I sometimes leave mine at home so no additional thing to worry about through security or extra weight) or having to worry about it being powered up for a whole journey if there's an issue, as there often is, with outlets on the plane. Even just fussing around to get a device out with limited space is less preferable to a seatback screen.
Before BA's 777s arrived with seatback IFE in the mid-90s, and before the 747s were updated with seatback IFE in the late 90s, the 747s had projectors that would project onto a big white screen at the central bulkhead - each cabin with a bulkhead in front had a projector and screen, even F. (the upperdeck had to make do with a few CRT TV screens suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the aisle). Everyone watched the safety demonstration on the big screen at the front, and the crew stood much where they do today. Inflight your IFE choice was watch the big screen, or listen to the pre-recorded radio channels. The big screen tape had maybe 5-8hrs of content, and then start over again. This got *very* repetitive when flying LHR-SIN-PER-AKL all the way through on the same aircraft!
I believe there might be two parts on board WiFi - the internet connection to the outside world, and then the local area connection to an onboard server with the IFE. The external link may be down but the internal streaming should still work. Unless the WiFi router itself has gone tech…
Terrible idea for me. I always use them and don’t have an iPad. If this was rolled out I’d just avoid BA.
It's a bad Idea. I don't own a tablet anymore. And on leisure trips I don't want to take my laptop with me or stream on my phone, plus you couldnt watch anything during your dinner on long flights... I'm anyway not a fan of Wifi on board, I mean if you work onboard its okay, but otherwise that time I always enjoy just beeing offline and I lot a people could need some offline time.
It would defintly be a no Fly airline for me on long distance flight if it comes.
I think you're right. Sounds a great deal like BA once again spending vast amounts of time and energy to find ways to screw the customer rather than drawing more business by improving their product.
I don't care about seatback IFE on domestic flights. I download some good stuff from a streaming service, and I'm good. Take it out of TA or TP flights, and it will make a difference on who I use.
Governed by greed? All businesses are about maximising returns for their shareholders. BA is very good at it and is one of the highest returning airlines in the world. Passengers have lots of options and can vote with their feet which would reduce their returns, but so far they haven’t.
Commentators moan and groan if an airline removes or reduces an inflight service.
Commentators moan and groan if an airline adds an additional inflight service.
Commentators moan and groan if an airline simply announces that they might make improvements or changes.
There is no pleasing some commenters and especially those who have no intention of flying with the subject airline anyway.
The simple solution to your predicament Bob, is not to be so mean as to only buy a Y ticket.
Try to break the habit of a lifetime and splash out on either an F or J ticket on a World Class airline. Trust me, thousands of hours of BA and other exceptional airline flights have been well worthwhile.
An interesting observation Eve, “iPads don’t grow on trees” …. actually I buy mine direct from Apple or John Lewis.
I’m a “Gramps and (my) multiple little (grand) children all have one, don’t yours?
Agree. I do bring my iPad when I am flying Alaska because the WiFi is excellent and content is really good.
I am an older guy and I just cant enjoy a movie on my 16Pro. Too small. And thank you Delta for seat back screens.
great idea but again, that would require original thought from the C suite folks.
I mean, BA is OneWorld for heaven's sake.
You know, like the folks at AA who are suddenly scrambling to be "premium".
“Bring your own tablet, along with your laptop, so that we can skim off the fees certain countries charge for bringing multiple devices into their country” - BA and AA
Not if they end up using it as an excuse to remove IFEs, no. Obviously you're a usual suspect in trying to defend the culture of mediocrity that has taken hold in a once prideful nation.
"British Airways executives like to tout how premium the airline is, the company’s actions often don’t reflect that."
BA is the most premium airline in their TA-JV, but that is a low bar. I guess its akin to when a hot person has ugly friends.
Iberia is a lot better than BA nowadays, in terms of both reliability and passenger experience (at least in business class).
Yes, they're independent for the most part however sometimes the on board server that powers the wifi portal will have issues and won't load the portal at all. So you can't access the IFE selection nor the internet and if you're flying AA, you don't have a seatback screen to use so you're bored the whole flight. Ask me how I know.
It probably won't work well. I wonder if the selection of movies and shows will be less because people can entertain themselves. I suggest people arrange to have off of an internet what they want to see in advance.
They can introduce streaming but pls make sure that the USB outlets work. It really is potluck if your single USB works at all. Plus make the outlet charge faster.
Given the incompetence and constant rake-stepping of BA management with customers, I wouldn't be surprised them starting to get rid of seat back screens partially then abandoning it. The management of that company is dire as we've seen with the way they have rolled the recent loyalty changes this year.
Says the little Englander always defending even the dumbest decisions by a once great flag carrier.
Those terrible entertainment boxes that rob economy and premium eco passengers of the little legroom there is. Imagine getting rid of them. Not too mention the person behind stabbing the back of your headrest. Count me in!
Laughing out loud! …. Jay, thank you for confirming that some “Little” commentators are absolutely clueless about the meaning of the “Little Englander” written language. Compounded by an inability to understand the meaning of the article followed by a pathetic knowledge of a truly world class airline.
Sour grapes abound ….
Jay, give it up sunshine, you clearly have not read Ben’s article, alternatively, if you have read it then you have failed to understand it.
Its british airways, they never make an improvement unless it enhances something away.
The way BA is run they'll 100% get rid of economy screens as soon as streaming takeup became high enough.
The first step will be to reduce the number of things available, which would presumably lower their costs
Look in the mirror for "clueless", mate. Your BA is as good as the state of Britain today. More like UBA, for UnBritish Airways.
Mentalities like yours are what keeps a country like England behind.
I did read it, Mr. Englander. It seems the sun in Clacton is getting in your way of reading.