This would be interesting. Most important however, is the content. If this catches on, it will spread fast and soon, we will see this on most airlines.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Australian, September 15, 2011

Qantas to trial iPads for sky-high entertainment

Qantas is trialling the use of iPads for its in-flight entertainment system. Picture: supplied

• Qantas to trial iPads for in-flight entertainment
• Will include movies, TV shows and music
• Could it be the end of traditional seat-back screens?

QANTAS is set to trial Apple iPads as the airline takes the first tentative steps towards introducing wireless technology for in-flight entertainment. 

From next month the airline will devote one Boeing 767-300 to the experiment, with TV shows, movies and music delivered to all passengers on the specially-configured tablet.

The airline follows British Airways, which tested the device on one of its planes in June, and Jetstar also has long-delayed plans to roll an iPad app.

Qantas customer experience manager Alison Webster said the trial could see the airline delivering all entertainment via wireless technology rather than personal seat-back television screens.

"Certainly that would be our end-game vision,'' Ms Webster said. “We see this as potentially being a breakthrough capability to be able to give more choice and more flexibility to customers' in-flight entertainment.”

The Q Streaming app, which was developed with technology from Lufthansa System, has the potential to deliver all programs currently available on Qantas's A380 aircraft.

But Ms Webster said the airline was still working on what content would be made available during the trial.

While the test will use only Qantas issued iPads, Ms Webster said the plan was for passengers to eventually use their own devices to access streamed content.

Another initiative under consideration was the ability to have movies or other television programs on personal devices available on playback even after leaving the aircraft to ensure passengers would be able to finish a program.

Ms Webster said there were significant weight savings on aircraft that used wireless technology, compared with seat-back IFE systems.

"We are all focussed on fuel burn being environmentally friendly and we have huge commitments to sustainability targets,” she said.

Meanwhile, Virgin Australia said wireless technology was one option for the airline's new entertainment system - part of chief executive John Borghetti's bid to take Australia's number two carrier upmarket - but offered no details.

US-based carriers like Virgin America, Southwest, United and American Airlines have announced plans to introduce - or are currently streaming - entertainment to passengers' personal devices on selected flights.

The move may see Qantas inch closer to being considered one of the best airlines in the world for in-flight entertainment - this year that title went to Emirates, based on the Passenger Choice Awards.

The reporter travelled to Seattle courtesy of Qantas and Boeing.