1337Delta764 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5752 posts, RR: 2 Posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2497 times:
I have heard rumors that NW is planning to add back IFE to domestic flights. Has there been any word on it as of yet? NW really is behind their competitors in features and comfort. Most of their competitors offer IFE on some domestic flights. Delta even offers PTVs on transcon flights.
The 757s feature an IFE system, but it is only used on International and Hawaii flights. A few of the A320s also feature an IFE system, but it is never used. If NW does indeed plan to add back IFE, I would expect them to install the system on the remainder of the A320s and maybe on the A319s. It is highly unlikely for NW to add IFE to the DC-9s, as DC-9/MD-80 series aircraft traditionally lack IFE. The IFE system on the 757s could also be upgraded, replacing the CRT displays with LCDs. Another option is to go to the audio-only route, featuring XM Satellite Radio. I wonder what Panasonic/Thales/Rockwell Collins/LiveTV would be willing to offer to NW.
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FlyDreamliner From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 2759 posts, RR: 15 Reply 1, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 2478 times:
I don't know about this. NW was actually taking televisions and other IFE gear off of their aircraft recently, leaving them only on the transatlantic and hawaii serving 757s. It seems odd after purposefully taking them out (weight savings, haha) that they'd go through the trouble of putting them back in.
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Jetjack74 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 7335 posts, RR: 52 Reply 4, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2317 times:
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Thread starter): I have heard rumors that NW is planning to add back IFE to domestic flights. Has there been any word on it as of yet?
No. There is new system being added to the 757 Enhanced, but that's about it. The system being added to the 757 is quite interesting. The WBC seat actually has a stem that deploys form the centre console, where you insert the video player into and locks on the stem.
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Thread starter): NW really is behind their competitors in features and comfort. Most of their competitors offer IFE on some domestic flights.
Our balance sheet is also more solvent than some of our competitors. The trouble is, we can't make a move while in bankruptcy. The money coming in is not ours, it belongs to the creditors.
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Thread starter): The 757s feature an IFE system, but it is only used on International and Hawaii flights.
The IFE system was deactivated in October of 2001 after the contract expired. We have since reactivated the on the 5600 series 757's since they rotate over and back from the NRT hub, and the -300's system is used to Hawaii. They just aren't used on them domestically since they arent supplied with video tapes(safety demo). If there is a videotape on the aircraft, we can use it. But there never is one, as I always check when I come on board one.
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Thread starter): A few of the A320s also feature an IFE system, but it is never used
The system was removed from the A320's in 1998.
Quoting FlyDreamliner (Reply 1): NW was actually taking televisions and other IFE gear off of their aircraft recently, leaving them only on the transatlantic and hawaii serving 757s
We took them off the 5500 series. The system on the -300 and the Enhanced 757 is a fully automatic system timed to sync with the flight time.
1337Delta764 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5752 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2244 times:
Quoting Jetjack74 (Reply 4): No. There is new system being added to the 757 Enhanced, but that's about it. The system being added to the 757 is quite interesting. The WBC seat actually has a stem that deploys form the centre console, where you insert the video player into and locks on the stem.
Who is the manufacturer of the system? Is it Panasonic, Thales, Rockwell Collins, or some other company? Does the new system have a moving map feature?
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Jetjack74 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 7335 posts, RR: 52 Reply 6, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2208 times:
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Reply 5): Who is the manufacturer of the system? Is it Panasonic, Thales, Rockwell Collins, or some other company?
MAS technologies
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Reply 5): Does the new system have a moving map feature?
Our bulletin does reference the airshow map channel
CaliAtenza From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 1130 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2088 times:
oh yeah...the girl i sat next to on the MSP-LAX flight this past sunday was complaining about the lack of IFE...oh and the leg room on NW's 757 sucks ..the seats were much nicer on the A320/319 coming from CLT to MSP.
Burnsie28 From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 7411 posts, RR: 9 Reply 8, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1978 times:
Quoting CaliAtenza (Reply 7): oh and the leg room on NW's 757 sucks ..the seats were much nicer on the A320/319 coming from CLT to MSP.
The same leg room thats on the A319/320 series?
Quoting CaliAtenza (Reply 7): oh yeah...the girl i sat next to on the MSP-LAX flight this past sunday was complaining about the lack of IFE
Sad some people have to have a TV in front of them 24 hours a day, and most people listen to Ipods anymore.
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PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 10 Reply 9, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1956 times:
Quote: My sources tell me that NW's new IFE installation will actually be a Sudoku book and a golf pencil.
Sorry, that would cost money. One penny per pencil, per flight, per day, per week adds up. Remember AA's decision to remove the olive from the first class salad, saving the company hundreds of thousands of dollars a year?
Okay, I'm being a bit sarcastic, but domestically, aside from UA and CO (I believe), IFE, at least for free, is a thing of the past, just like meals. Saving money is a top priority for airlines, and giving away free IFE in this ear of ipods, laptop computers, and x-boxes is just never going to be a priority. Why should it?
And when all else fails, can't people just pick up a book?
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1337Delta764 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5752 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1872 times:
Quoting PanAm747 (Reply 9): Okay, I'm being a bit sarcastic, but domestically, aside from UA and CO (I believe), IFE, at least for free, is a thing of the past, just like meals. Saving money is a top priority for airlines, and giving away free IFE in this ear of ipods, laptop computers, and x-boxes is just never going to be a priority. Why should it?
I beg to differ. This is an era that IFE is on the rise. If IFE was a thing of the past, then Delta wouldn't have installed the AVOD PTVs with live TV capability on their Song aircraft, nor would have the 737-800s gotten IFE from the factory. While Delta does not offer IFE on their MD-88s, I am sure their replacement will feature IFE, as the 737RS will likely have more range than both the MD-88 and the 737-800. Remember that the 727 didn't feature IFE, yet its replacement in Delta's fleet, the 737-800, does.
It is really the older narrowbodies that tend to lack IFE. All classic DC-9s and MD-80s (except for Iberia's MD-87s) lack IFE. The DC-8, 707, 727, and some early 737s also generally lacked IFE, although some featured just audio, very rarely video. The 757 really started the trend for narrowbody IFE, and I believe that all 757s currently in service feature an IFE system. Soon, IFE later appeared on most A320 series aircraft, a few 737 Classics and MD-90s, and most 737NGs. That doesn't sound like a thing of the past to me.
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PanAm747 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4242 posts, RR: 10 Reply 11, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1858 times:
I have no problem with an airline installing IFE on an airplane, nor charging for its use (F9's TV programming). My point is that each airline needs to determine if it is cost effective to put on - DL is finding it possible to do so, but I don't think NW will.
Passengers, however, should NOT complain about the lack of IFE. If you want it, fly the airline that has it. I find it fun sometimes, but other times I am in the middle of good book.
btw, is Delta's IFE system going to be free? Maybe a headphone charge?
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1337Delta764 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5752 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1836 times:
Quoting PanAm747 (Reply 11): btw, is Delta's IFE system going to be free? Maybe a headphone charge?
AVOD movies and games on domestic flights are paid, but the live TV and iXplor (Airshow-like moving map feature) are free. On international flights, the AVOD movies are free. You can purchase headphones on board to keep.
The Pink Delta 767-400ER - The most beautiful aircraft in the sky
Yflyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 837 posts, RR: 1 Reply 13, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 1748 times:
Quoting Burnsie28 (Reply 8): Sad some people have to have a TV in front of them 24 hours a day
There are a limited number of things you can do to pass the time during a long flight. Passing that time by watching a movie doesn't mean you're constantly glued to the TV while you're at home. I mean, you can't exactly start a game of touch football during the flight or anything.
Dc-9-10 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 583 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 1692 times:
Quoting Yflyer (Reply 13): I mean, you can't exactly start a game of touch football during the flight or anything.
Centrair From Japan, joined Jan 2005, 3597 posts, RR: 21 Reply 15, posted (6 years 1 month 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 1564 times:
Quoting Burnsie28 (Reply 8): Sad some people have to have a TV in front of them 24 hours a day,
One of hte only times I will get to watch a movie all the way trhough this year will be on NRT-MSP in December. All other times I have to stop watching as my daughter is tearing things off the shelves or trying to pull something out of the wall.
But when it comes to NW domestic, I can only think of a few routes where a PTV or Digital IFE would be nice to have. With much of the hubs in the middle longest you get is 4 hours. That could be a movie, TV program or something nice, but I say NW should just add a power plug to every row or seat and let people bring their own system in the form of a computer or iPod.
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From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5752 posts, 
..the seats were much nicer on the A320/319 coming from CLT to MSP.
From Japan, joined Jan 2005, 3597 posts, 
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