In-flight entertainment
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In-flight entertainment (IFE) refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship
Design issues for IFE include system safety,
The in-flight entertainment on board airlines is frequently managed by content service providers.
History
The first in-flight movie was screened by
The post-WWII British Bristol Brabazon airliner was initially specified with a 37-seat cinema within its huge fuselage; this was later reduced to a 23-seat cinema sharing the rear of the aircraft with a lounge and cocktail bar. The aircraft never entered service.[6]
However, it was not until the 1960s that in-flight entertainment became mainstream and popular. In 1961, David Flexer of Inflight Motion Pictures developed the 16mm film system using a 25-inch reel for a wide variety of commercial aircraft. Capable of holding the entire film, and mounted horizontally to maximize space, this replaced the previous 30-inch-diameter film reels. In 1961, TWA committed to Flexer's technology and was the first to debut a feature film in flight.[4] Interviewed by the New Yorker in 1962, Mr Flexner said, "an awful lot of ingenuity has gone into this thing, which started from my simply thinking one day, in flight, that air travel is both the most advanced form of transportation and the most boring.”[7] Amerlon Productions, a subsidiary of Inflight, produced at least one film, Deadlier Than the Male, specifically for use on airplanes. Pakistan International Airlines was the first international airline to introduce this entertainment system, showing regularly scheduled films from 1962.[4][8]
In 1963, Avid Airline Products developed and manufactured the first pneumatic headset used on board the airlines and provided these early headsets to TWA. These early systems consisted of in-seat audio that could be heard with hollow tube headphones.[4] In 1979, pneumatic headsets were replaced by electronic headsets. The electronic headsets were initially available only on selected flights and premium cabins, whereas economy class still had to make do with the old pneumatic headsets.[citation needed] In the United States, the last airline to offer pneumatic headphones was Delta Air Lines, which switched to electronic headphones in 2003, despite the fact that all Delta aircraft since 1982, when the Boeing 767-200 was adopted, have included jacks for electronic headphones.
Throughout the early to mid-1960s, some in-flight movies were played back from videotape, using early compact transistorized videotape recorders made by Sony (such as the SV-201 and PV-201) and Ampex (such as the VR-660 and VR-1500), and played back on CRT monitors mounted on the upper sides in the cabin above the passenger seats with several monitors placed a few seats apart from each other. The audio was played back through the headsets.
In 1971, TRANSCOM developed the 8mm film cassette.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s,
In 1996 and 1997, Swissair and Alitalia introduced first digital in-flight entertainment systems aboard its aircraft manufactured by US-based company Interactive Flight Technologies, marking a notable development in passenger amenities, that would generate additional revenue for the airline. These systems featured individual touchscreen displays integrated into seat armrests, allowing passengers to access various entertainment including pay-per-view movie library, music video games and flight progress information. Also, the IFT systems on Swissair offered first ever inflight gambling activities with winnings that could go as high as $3,500.[9][10]
Today, in-flight entertainment is offered as an option on almost all wide body aircraft, while some narrow body aircraft are not equipped with any form of in-flight entertainment at all. This is mainly due to the aircraft storage and weight limits. The
For the introduction of personal TVs on board jetBlue, company management tracked that lavatory queuing went far down. They originally had two planes, one with functioning IFE and one with none; the functioning one later was called "the happy plane".[11]
System safety and regulation
One major obstacle in creating an in-flight entertainment system is system safety. With the sometimes miles of wiring involved, voltage leaks,
There are two major sections of the FAA's airworthiness regulations that regulate flight entertainment systems and their safety in transport category aircraft: 14 CFR 25.1301 which approves the electronic equipment for installation and use, by assuring that the system in question is properly labeled, and that its design is appropriate to its intended function.[13] 14 CFR 25.1309 states that the electrical equipment must not alter the safety or functionality of the aircraft upon the result of a failure.[14] One way for the intended IFE system to meet this regulatory requirement is for it to be independent from the aircraft's main power source and processor. By separating the power supplies and data links from that of the aircraft's performance processor, in the event of a failure the system is self-contained, and can not alter the functionality of the aircraft. Upon a showing of compliance to all of the applicable U.S. regulations the in-flight entertainment system is capable of being approved in the United States. Certain U.S. design approvals for IFE may be directly accepted in other countries, or may be capable of being validated, under existing bilateral airworthiness safety agreements.
Cost efficiency
The
The largest international airlines sometimes pay more than $90,000 for a license to show one movie over a period of two or three months. These airlines usually feature up to 100 movies at once, whereas 20 years ago they would have only 10 or 12. In the United States, airlines pay a flat fee every time the movie is watched by a passenger. Some airlines spend up to $20 million per year on content.[17]
Software reliability
Software for in-flight entertainment systems should be aesthetically pleasing, reliable, compatible, and also must be user friendly. These restrictions account for expensive engineering of individually specific software. In-flight entertainment equipment is often
Varieties of in-flight entertainment
Moving-map systems
A moving-map system is a real-time flight information video channel broadcast through to cabin project/video screens and personal televisions (PTVs). In addition to displaying a map that illustrates the position and direction of the plane, the system gives (utilizing both the imperial and metric systems) the altitude, airspeed, outside air temperature, distance to the destination, distance from the origination point, and origin/destination/local time (using both the 12-hour and 24-hour clocks). The moving-map system information is derived in real time from the aircraft's flight computer systems.[19]
The first moving-map system designed for passengers was named Airshow and introduced in 1982.[20] It was invented by Airshow Inc (ASINC), a small southern California corporation, which later became part of Rockwell Collins. KLM and Swissair were the first airlines to offer the moving map systems to their passengers.
The latest versions of moving-maps offered by IFE manufacturers include AdonisOne IFE, ICARUS Moving Map Systems, Airshow 4200 by
After the attempted Christmas Day bombing of 2009, the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) briefly ordered the live-map shut-off on international flights landing in the United States [citation needed]. Some airlines complained that doing so may compel the entire IFE system to remain shut. After complaints from airlines and passengers alike, these restrictions were eased.
Audio entertainment
Audio entertainment covers music, as well as news, information, and comedy. Most music channels are pre-recorded and feature their own
In audio-video on demand (AVOD) systems, software such as MusicMatch is used to select music off the music server. Phillips Music Server is one of the most widely used servers running under Windows Media Center used to control AVOD systems.
This form of in-flight entertainment is experienced through headphones that are distributed to the passengers. The headphone plugs are usually only compatible with the audio socket on the passenger's armrest (and vice versa), and some airlines may charge a small fee to obtain a pair. The headphones provided can also be used for the viewing of personal televisions. Passengers can also connect their own headphones if they have compatible connectors; noise-cancelling headphones, which much reduce engine and ambient noise, are popular.
In-flight entertainment systems have been made compatible with
Video entertainment
Video entertainment is provided via a large video screen at the front of a cabin section, as well as smaller monitors situated every few rows above the aisles. Sound is supplied via the same headphones as those distributed for audio entertainment.
However, personal televisions (PTVs) for every passenger provide passengers with channels broadcasting new and classic films, as well as comedies, news, sports programming, documentaries, children's shows, and drama series. Some airlines also present news and current affairs programming, which are often pre-recorded and delivered in the early morning before flights commence. On some US domestic airlines, live TV is offered, which includes many national news channels.
PTVs are operated via an in-flight Management System which stores pre-recorded channels on a central server and streams them to PTV equipped seats during flight.
Some airlines also provide
Personal televisions
Most airlines have now installed personal televisions (otherwise known as PTVs) for every passenger on most long-haul routes. These televisions are usually located in the seat-backs or tucked away in the armrests for front row seats and first class. Some show
Audio-video on demand (AVOD) entertainment has also been introduced. This enables passengers to pause, rewind, fast-forward, or stop a program that they have been watching. This is in contrast to older entertainment systems where no interactivity is provided for. AVOD also allows the passengers to choose among movies stored in the aircraft computer system.
In addition to the personal televisions that are installed in the seatbacks, a new portable media player (PMP) revolution is under way.[when?] There are two types available: commercial off the shelf (COTS) based players and proprietary players. PMPs can be handed out and collected by the cabin crew, or can be "semi-embedded" into the seatback or seat arm. In both of these scenarios, the PMP can pop in and out of an enclosure built into the seat, or an arm enclosure. An advantage of PMPs is that, unlike seatback PTVs, equipment boxes for the inflight entertainment system do not need to be installed under the seats, since those boxes increase the weight of the aircraft and impede legroom.
In-flight movies
Personal on-demand videos are stored in an aircraft's main in-flight entertainment system, whence they can be viewed on demand by a passenger over the aircraft's built in media server and wireless broadcast system. Along with the on-demand concept comes the ability for the user to pause, rewind, fast forward, or jump to any point in the movie. There are also movies that are shown throughout the aircraft at one time, often on shared overhead screens or a screen in the front of the cabin. More modern aircraft are now allowing Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) to be used to connect to the on board in-flight entertainment systems.[citation needed]
Regularly scheduled in flight movies began to premiere in 1961 on flights from New York to Los Angeles.[25] The first movie shown was By Love Possessed (1961), starring Lana Turner; it was first shown on July 19, 1961, when TWA showed it to its first-class passengers.
have closed-captioning provided on their AVOD systems.
In-flight games
Video games are another emerging facet of in-flight entertainment. Some game systems are networked to allow interactive playing by multiple passengers. Later generations of IFE games began to shift focus from pure entertainment to learning. The best examples of this changing trend are the popular trivia game series and the Berlitz Word Traveler that allows passengers to learn a new language in their own language. Appearing as a mixture of lessons and mini games, passengers can learn the basics of a new language while being entertained. Many more learning applications continue to appear in the IFE market.
Islamic prayers and directions to Mecca
In several airlines from the
In-flight connectivity
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: IFE is becoming more and more mainstream, not a rarity as depicted here.(September 2019) |
IFE has been expanded to include in-flight connectivity—services such as Internet browsing, text messaging, cell phone usage (where permitted), and emailing. In fact, some in the airline industry have begun referring to the entire in-flight-entertainment category as "IFEC" (In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity or In-Flight Entertainment and Communication).
The aircraft manufacturer Boeing entered into the in-flight-connectivity industry in 2000 and 2001 with an offshoot called Connexion by Boeing. The service was designed to provide in-flight broadband service to commercial airlines; Boeing built partnerships with United Airlines, Delta, and American. In 2006 Boeing closed Connexion; industry analysts cited technology, weight, and cost issues. The Connexion hardware then available weighed an unacceptable 1,000 pounds (450 kg).
After Connexion was discontinued, other providers emerged to deliver in-flight broadband communication to airlines—notably satellite-based by
Satellite and internal telephony
Some airlines provide satellite telephones, usually able to make but not receive calls, integrated into their system, located at strategic locations in the aircraft or integrated into the remote control used for passengers' in-flight entertainment. The rate has been[when?] around US$10/minute. Some aircraft allow faxes and phone SMS ("texts") to be sent.
Some systems allow a passenger to call another by seat number.
Data communication
Intranet type communication systems have been introduced. Functionalities may include allowing passengers to
Wi-Fi
Several airlines are testing in-cabin wi-fi systems.
As of 2010[update] sixteen major U.S. airlines offered Wi-Fi connectivity service on their aircraft. The majority of these airlines used the service provided by Gogo Wi-Fi service. The service allows Wi-Fi enabled devices to connect to the Internet. Delta had the most Wi-Fi equipped fleet, with 500 aircraft offering Wi-Fi.[34] In 2019, some airlines removed seatback screens, saving money by streaming video to passenger personal mobile devices.[35]
Mobile phone
As a general rule, mobile phone use while airborne is usually not just prohibited by the carrier, but also by regulatory agencies in the relevant jurisdiction (e.g. FAA and FCC in the US). However, with added technology, some carriers nonetheless allow the use of mobile phones on selected routes.
Emirates became the first airline to allow mobile phones to be used during flight. Using the systems supplied by telecom company AeroMobile, Emirates launched the service commercially on 20 March 2008.[36] Installed first on an Airbus A340-300, AeroMobile is presently operating across the entire Emirates fleet of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s.[37]
Ryanair had previously aimed to become the first airline to enable mobile phone use in flight, but did not launch its system commercially until February 2009.[38] The system was set up on 22 737-800 jets based at Dublin Airport, and had been fitted on Ryanair's 200+ fleet of 737-800 jets by 2010.
Virgin Australia also had an onboard Wi-Fi service, free on all domestic flights, paid on international flights. After their takeover by Bain capital, Virgin Australia discontinued live Internet access.
China Airlines and Singapore Airlines also have similar Wi-Fi services, charge according to time used.
Backbone connectivity
As of 2024[update]
References
- ^ Hindenburg interiors
- ^ Bridge, The Broadcast (19 February 2015). "How a "Genius" Engineer Designed the First Noise Cancelling Headsets - The Broadcast Bridge - Connecting IT to Broadcast". www.thebroadcastbridge.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "1922 Pageant of Progress". Chicagology. 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e White, John Norman (2013). A History of Inflight Entertainment (Report). Airline Passenger Experience Association – via Academia.
- ^ "An Aerial " Picture Theatre "", Flight: 225, 16 April 1925
- ^ "The Bristol Brabazon". Aviator Magazine. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ Quoted in Rebecca Maksel, Bringing Inflight Movies to Airlines Was Harder Than It Sounds, airspacemag.com, Smithsonian, 12 June 2015
- ^ "In-Flight Entertainment System History: Are You Not Entertained?". Tedium: The Dull Side of the Internet. 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ "History of IFE Systems: From analog to digital – a start with difficulties". Lufthansa Systems. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ISBN 978-1-59184-058-9.
- ^ Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 Part 25 Archived 10 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Federal Aviation Administration, Tuesday 10 April 2007
- ^ "Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 Part 25 Section 25.1301". Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ "Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 Part 25 Section 25.1309". Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ In Flight Entertainment Goes High Tech Digital Journal, Tuesday 10 April 2007
- ^ Airbus A-320 Family Archived 14 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine Airbus A-320 Family
- ^ James Durston (26 August 2014). "Inside the billion-dollar, super-censored inflight movie industry". CNN.
- ^ How to Crash an In Flight Entertainment System Archived 20 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine CSO the Resource for Security Executives, Tuesday 10 April 2007
- ^ "US Patent #4975696 A - Real-time flight and destination display for aircraft passengers". Google Patents. 23 March 1987. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
- ^ "AIRSHOW® 410 – Product Brochure". Airshow 410. Rockwell Collins. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
- ^ "ArrivalGuides integrated in new Norwegian FlightPath3D Dreamliner service". travalution.co.uk. Travalution. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ^ "Norwegian Launches FlightPath3D Moving Map Service on International Routes". PRWeb press releases. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
- Apple Computer, Tuesday 10 April 2007
- ^ Virgin America's RED Entertainment System Engadget, Tuesday 10 April 2007
- ^ First in Flight Movie Trivia Library, Tuesday 10 April 2007
- ^ "Captioning In-Flight Entertainment: The Final Frontier". deaffriendly. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Information for customers who are deaf or hearing impaired". Qantas. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Southwest to offer captioning on wireless IFE". Runway Girl Network. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Information for Customers with Special Needs". Emirates.com. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ List of airlines offering inflight wifi eDreams Blog Thursday 22 August 2014
- ^ In-flight Internet: Grounded for life? Archived 15 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine CNET News.com, Friday 25 January 2008
- WiFiGuide, Monday 25 June 2007
- ^ Warne, Dan (24 July 2007). "Inflight internet lives again: Qantas introduces wireless broadband, laptop power in all classes". APCMag.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
- ^ Airlines In-flight WiFi Access Fees Table Archived 26 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine Airport WiFi Guide, Saturday 21 August 2010
- ^ LaGrave, Katherine (20 August 2018). "Delta Defies Trend, Keeps Adding Seat-Back Screens to Planes". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ^ "Don't switch off your mobile phone on this Emirates flight". Thaindian News. 21 March 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Emirates Aeromobile in-flight cell phone calls, airlines offering mobile calls on flights". DWS Aviation. 19 February 2009. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009.
- ^ Starmer-Smith, Charles (20 February 2009). "Ryanair mobile phone service: 'Hello, I'm on the plane'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ Michael Bruno (23 September 2019). "What Happened To Dreams of Commercial Aircraft-based Connectivity?". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
External links
- Airline Passenger Experience Association (was previously WAEA)
- Code of Federal Regulations Title 14(Aeronautics and Space)
- Accommodations for Individuals Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blind (Report). Federal Register of the US government. 23 February 2006.