Josh Ong
The airline, a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, removed the entertainment equipment while outfitting planes it had received from its parent company, according to a Bloomberg report. Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson told the publication that his company had managed to cut 7 percent of the planes' weight, while simultaneously increasing seating by 40 percent.
Instead of television service, Scoot Pte will offer customers iPads pre-loaded with "movies, music, games and television shows," the report noted. Business-class fliers will borrow the iPads for free, while economy passengers will have to pay S$22 ($17) to rent the devices. The airline also has plans to install a wireless system for providing content to customers on its planes.
The iPads will be used in the airline's four Boeing 777s. According to the report, the company plans to expand to a fleet of 14 777s within the next few years.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. transportation research analyst Corrine Png called the switch to iPads a "smart move" because lightening the plane will "help improve fuel efficiency."
Competing airline Qantas claims to be the first to have launched iPad-based in-flight entertainment. The airline announced plans for a streaming iPad service last fall and began testing it in December.
Apple is enjoying steady adoption of its iPad across the aviation industry. After receiving FAA approval last year, several airlines have begun adopting the tablet for use as an electronic flight bag.
Government agencies have also recognized the benefits of Apple's touchscreen tablet for pilots, mechanics and other workers. Earlier this year, The U.S. Air Force awarded a $9.36 million contract to a technology sourcing company for up to 18,000 iPads. The devices will be used as electronic flight bags aboard the branch's cargo aircraft. In April, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration revealed plans to "broadly expand" the use of the iPad among its workers.
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41 Comments
It's a toy It will flop It is not a PC People don't want tablets Did I miss anything? :D The iPad is a huge part of my life it feels as if I always had an iPad.
I’m not sure they were using the best TVs for an airplane installation.
While I think this is a smart move, I question the 7% figure given in the article. Given that the empty operating weight of a 777-200 series is around 150 tons, cutting 2 tons would mean a reduction of 1.3% in weight, not 7%. I suspect that there were other weight saving measures taken (in addition to the switch to using iPads) to achieve a 7% overall reduction in weight, however this is not clear from the article.
I doubt it was 7% off the plane's weight. That's way too much. These things don't have a lot of fat. My guess is 7% from the weight controlled by the airline, meaning seats, entertainment, food carts, etc. Somebody else can do the math, but that sounds plausible, though still surprising, to me.
I doubt it was 7% off the plane's weight. That's way too much. These things don't have a lot of fat. My guess is 7% from the weight controlled by the airline, meaning seats, entertainment, food carts, etc. Somebody else can do the math, but that sounds plausible, though still surprising, to me.
You're very likely correct, however 2 tons is a lot of weight to lose. Go iPads!!!