Kevin Bostic
Australian air carrier Qantas has announced that it will be handing out Apple's iPad to passengers on flights, giving them access to over 200 hours of movies, music, and television.
Hindustan Times on Tuesday carried a report that the Australian carrier would be adding iPads to the in-flight amenities for all classes flying between Sydney and Honolulu on 767 aircraft. The devices will integrate with Q Streaming, the company's in-flight entertainment system, allowing them to tap into the plane's onboard Wi-Fi.
Passengers will initially have access to movies, music, and television shows. Subsequent updates will see interactive games, digital newspapers, magazines, and travel and business apps added to the service.
The iPads come as Qantas is working to upgrade the experience on its flights. Its 767 aircraft have been refurbished, with new carpeting, lighting, curtains, and cabin dividers, as well as leather seat covers in business class.
Qantas began testing the iPad as an in-flight entertainment option in 2011 on a single 767. Apple's iPad and iPhone are increasingly popular as in-flight entertainment options, with recent studies indicating that iOS devices account for 84 percent of in-flight web traffic in the United States.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
18 Comments
JetStar, the value brand of Qantas, has been doing this for at least a year ... perhaps they'll be free vice having to pay (like on JetStar) is the news here?
I flew Qantas recently (yesterday). They already have touch screen devices in the back of the seat in front but they are not so great. You have to tap twice to get it to register half the time, and the games are rubbish (apologies to the current supplier). Simply substituting iPads will probably be cheaper for them and better for the customer. I don't know why any airline would use a custom system over simply Ethernet'ed iPads, given a decent central management app.
1) Sydney to Honolulu is about a 10 hour flight which means that few other tablets would be viable candidates. 2) Considering how much those in-seat systems cost, cost to repair if one breaks, and the poor quality those displays are I can see a lot of advantage to airlines eventually opting not to include any or to simply make an in-seat system for a powered-and easily replaceable iPad (or other tablet) device. [quote name="DethByUngaBunga" url="/t/156419/qantas-airline-to-provide-passengers-apple-ipads-for-in-flight-entertainment#post_2291668"]JetStar, the value brand of Qantas...[/quote] Would have been better if Qantas's value brand was called Tightas. PS: I've always wondered if airlines have entertainment rules regarding movies that involve plane crashes (seems very likely) and music by artists that have died in a plane crash (seems possible with at least some airlines).
Yeah I see others airlines following this as well. Simple cost effective entertainment for everyone!
Yes, cause that's what I want, in addition to being stuck in a steel tube with hundreds of other sniffling, snotty nosed passengers I now get to play with a touchscreen that who knows how many flu riddled people have used before me.
Now excuse me while I store some of my urine in a jar.