DL No Longer Switching Off IFE

CVG72 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:40 pm

Hey all. I did a search and didn't find anything so please excuse me if this has been posted.

I found a blog post dated today that says that DL will no longer shut off access to IFE during taxi, takeoff and landing. This is the first I've heard of an airline doing this. Does anyone else do this? I always figured there was an FAA regulation that kept pax from utilizing IFE.

http://takingoff.delta.com/post/56145373510/in-flight-entertainment

Matt

cvg2lga · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:05 pm

I've had that happen plenty of times. Other time I've been watching a tv program or listening to music all the way up until the aircraft stops at the gate. There was an upguage to 767 a few weeks ago ATL-BSB and as soon as we touched down the IFE shut off. We were forewarned it would happen though. I hardly think this well make a hard selling point for folks when they go to buy tickets but it is a nice touch of customer service.

Tchau

DA-

MesaFlyGuy · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:09 pm

I had this happen for the first time in May. The IFE on our 737-700 was on from a few minutes after takeoff from ATL all the way until we arrived at the gate at EWR.

flymia · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:09 pm

Since the in plane IFE is connected to the airplane's PA system I never understood why it should be turned off during the critical phases of flight.

dibble777 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:23 pm

I travelled on a Virgin Atlantic flight earlier in the year where they were promoting this like mad. I thought I would make use of it and continued watching a film only to have it interrupted about 8 times with various announcements and then those same announcements in a different language and then a charity film. Not a good experience!

RKSofACinUSA · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:24 pm

Quoting CVG72 (Thread starter):
This is the first I've heard of an airline doing this. Does anyone else do this?

Air Canada has been doing this for years as long as ear buds are used.

JBLUA320 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:44 pm

At JetBlue, the IFE is always on, except during the safety demo.

jetjack74 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:56 pm

Yes, we still collect the noise canceling headsets from pax on final, and woe're giving them disposable earbuds if they choose to keep watching it. The exception being the 747/777, when these screens must remain stowed on landing, the reconfigured A330/767 aircraft are exempt

LJ · Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:13 pm

Quoting CVG72 (Thread starter):
I found a blog post dated today that says that DL will no longer shut off access to IFE during taxi, takeoff and landing. This is the first I've heard of an airline doing this. Does anyone else do this? I always figured there was an FAA regulation that kept pax from utilizing IFE.

When I flew TAM I was surprised the IFE was working when I boarded the plane (and people were already watcing a movie). I then understood why some people would board a plane 45 minutes prior to departure (I'm usually one of the last boarding). However, IFE (other than the camera and map) stop before landing.

anstar · Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:19 pm

Quoting CVG72 (Thread starter):
This is the first I've heard of an airline doing this. Does anyone else do this? I always figured there was an FAA regulation that kept pax from utilizing IFE.

I know Virgin Atlantic and British Airways also allow gate to gate IFE.

AADC10 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:25 pm

UA operates their IFE gate to gate. Only the video on overhead screens is shut off on aircraft without seatback video. That and the 737s that have no IFE at all.

Alitalia744 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:27 pm

Quoting jetjack74 (Reply 7):
Yes, we still collect the noise canceling headsets from pax on final, and woe're giving them disposable earbuds if they choose to keep watching it. The exception being the 747/777, when these screens must remain stowed on landing, the reconfigured A330/767 aircraft are exempt

I get the 767 as it is fixed in the shell of the seat in front. How is it on the reconfigured A330s? Thought it was the same seat as the 747?

DexSwart · Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:13 pm

QF and VA both offer this gate to gate service in Australia. I'm not really such a fan, but it's nice to put on some cruisy music on take off and landing! DL just seems to be jumping on board the bandwagon.

It's not a major selling point, but hey, it'a definately more convenient.

CVG72 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:18 pm

Dang I had no idea. I rarely fly long-haul, and even so, I don't get a lot of IFE coming out of CVG and BHM.

Matt

jetjack74 · Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:22 pm

Quoting alitalia744 (Reply 11):
I get the 767 as it is fixed in the shell of the seat in front. How is it on the reconfigured A330s? Thought it was the same seat as the 747?

The A330 video screen is not required to be stowed and locked, wheres the 747/777 is. Why the difference? That I don't know.

ghifty · Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:15 pm

Flown with them a few times this past year, and on all IFE-equipped flights it was on right after pushback up until powerdown at the destination airport. Moving map stayed streaming, and (it seems) like most TV/movies/games kept running from observation.

Noticed this on one A330 (old config), a few 75X's, and one 75E.

zkeoj · Tue Jul 23, 2013 12:23 am

Air New Zealand has been doing this for ages. It's great to get it starting right away, and also during descent, especially when not having a window seat

Cheers
micha

SocalApproach · Tue Jul 23, 2013 12:30 am

At VX the IFE is on from boarding to the arrival gate. The only time it's off is during the Saftey demo. I've seen 1 time though that the IFE wasn't activated until after the Saftey demo but that was a few years ago. I have also witnessed it turned off after landing but that was on one occasion only. Other than that 100% of the time it's on until the brakes are set at the gate. Also it isn't surprising to see the IFE on during deplanning, which happens frequently and it's great when I'm stuck in the back of the bus waiting. Our movies are paused and just like any other airline the sound is muted during PA announcements so it doesn't make much sense to only have it on when the aircraft is airborne.

RyanairGuru · Tue Jul 23, 2013 12:52 am

Quoting DexSwart (Reply 12):

Quoting ZKEOJ (Reply 16):

Yep the Australian and New Zealand carriers have been doing this for donkeys years: IFE from stepping on the plane to getting off the other end.

This is regulated by the relevant authority, and CASA and NZCAA never saw an issue with it, so long as you are using the airlines ear phones plugged into the IFE system.

PHX787 · Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:28 am

For whatever reason last year, I had full access to IFE when we were taxiing last year at LAX up until they played the safety video. Then they played some of those fancy welcome videos that feature Mr. Anderson lol by the time those were over, we were already in the sky.

enilria · Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:55 am

Quoting flymia (Reply 3):
Since the in plane IFE is connected to the airplane's PA system I never understood why it should be turned off during the critical phases of flight.

Quoting JBLUA320 (Reply 6):
At JetBlue, the IFE is always on, except during the safety demo.

Since it is pretty much established that phones and tablets in airplane mode do not create interference, the purported reason for keeping them off is to create "situational awareness" for passengers during takeoff and landing which are the most dangerous times of the flight. In the event of an accident during those phases of the flight the thinking is that the crew would not have time to make an announcement of an emergency as was the case with the Asiana accident. Some airlines also require the window shades to up for takeoff and landing for the same reason. SO, for airlines to run the IFE but still ban personal electronics devices is even more of a farce as it strikes down the only logic for banning them.

opethfan · Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:01 am

Quoting RKSofACinUSA (Reply 5):
Air Canada has been doing this for years as long as ear buds are used.

As have WS, I believe.

shaq · Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:24 am

COPA has IFE gate to gate.
They only stop it to do the safety demo.

ghifty · Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:25 am

Quoting enilria (Reply 20):
SO, for airlines to run the IFE but still ban personal electronics devices is even more of a farce as it strikes down the only logic for banning them.

On DL, the IFE is on nonstop gate-to-gate unless the safety video is playing. If you've turned your screen off, it will turn back on to show the safety video.

modesto2 · Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:01 am

Noticed this new policy today when I was boarding DL208, NRT-SFO, and the lady seated next to me was browsing movies during the boarding process.

RyanairGuru · Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:47 am

Quoting enilria (Reply 20):
SO, for airlines to run the IFE but still ban personal electronics devices is even more of a farce as it strikes down the only logic for banning them.

Not at all. PA announcements are played through the IFE, whereas if you are using personal equipment then you can't hear announcements.

Grisee08 · Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:24 am

I remember 2 years ago (or 3) that I flew UA from IAD-ORD on a 763 in Biz and they only disabled IFE during the safety annc. Other than that, it was fully operational. I remember, as I had my nose in an episode of Cash Cab. (I'm a sucker for trivia shows)

DIRECTFLT · Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:42 am

(In the 90's) On a long flight (under 3 hours), we were treated to a fine movie that I never had seen before called THE PELICAN BRIEF. But, due to time mis-management, we landed, and the climax to the end of the movie was not able to be shown. The FA did show sympathy ( which I believe was real, and not just CS oritented) that we did not get to see the end of the movie. I had to go and rent that movie, to see what happened! I have it on DVD now.

alexvk380 · Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:08 am

The only time you can't use the IFE on EK is when the safety and welcome onboard videos play.

davescj · Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:21 am

Quoting anstar (Reply 9):
I know Virgin Atlantic and British Airways also allow gate to gate IFE.

AF does the same. The nose camera is on while boarding usually (not that there is much to see).

Quoting jetjack74 (Reply 14):
The A330 video screen is not required to be stowed and locked, wheres the 747/777 is. Why the difference? That I don't know.

On the 747/777 (and at old sleeper seat 767 I think) the TV screen came up and folded out, sort of like TV that you couldd move about in front of you. As a result, of course, it "obstructs" the exit in case of emergency.

The A330 has the screen on the seat in front of you.

Dave

leftyboarder · Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:23 am

TK also keeps the IFE on, and the safety video cuts in when it is playing. All PA is also broadcast over the IFE.

RyanairGuru · Tue Jul 23, 2013 9:56 am

Quoting DIRECTFLT (Reply 27):
we were treated to a fine movie that I never had seen before called THE PELICAN BRIEF. But, due to time mis-management, we landed, and the climax to the end of the movie was not able to be shown

Now that's tough, I'm not sure I could deal with that! I agree, great movie.

Quoting alexvk380 (Reply 28):
welcome onboard videos play

Although to be fair, those do have a habit of dragging on ... in both English and Arabic

seat55a · Tue Jul 23, 2013 10:18 am

I remember on an AA 720 ORD - TUS in 1969, the music was playing (and good ol' tube headset still available) on landing in TUS. The flight was going through to LAX (or somewhere), guess they didn't bother with turning it off for the intermediate stop. In those years with all the milk runs that must have been pretty common.

DeltaRules · Tue Jul 23, 2013 12:53 pm

Quoting DIRECTFLT (Reply 27):
(In the 90's) On a long flight (under 3 hours), we were treated to a fine movie that I never had seen before called THE PELICAN BRIEF. But, due to time mis-management, we landed, and the climax to the end of the movie was not able to be shown. The FA did show sympathy ( which I believe was real, and not just CS oritented) that we did not get to see the end of the movie. I had to go and rent that movie, to see what happened! I have it on DVD now.

We were flying CLT-SJU on a US 767 in 2006 and had one of the new Pirates of the Caribbean movies cut short because of a tailwind which significantly shortened the flight.

Quoting davescj (Reply 29):
On the 747/777 (and at old sleeper seat 767 I think) the TV screen came up and folded out, sort of like TV that you couldd move about in front of you. As a result, of course, it "obstructs" the exit in case of emergency.

On this note, what about people in the exit rows on the 75X? We were held on the ground at MCO in 2010 on one and, sitting in the 2L exit row, initially weren't allowed to fold out the arm-mounted IFE screens. (The F/A later relented based upon the expected delay and let us open them until they cranked the engines again.)

idealstandard · Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:58 pm

Jetblue springs immediately to mind? Their IFE is on always apart from safety demo. Quite cool landing into JFK watching the food network.

b727fa · Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:59 pm

The policy "officially" changed at DL on the 15th of July with the exception being the drop down global screens.

enilria · Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:07 pm

Quoting ghifty (Reply 23):
Quoting enilria (Reply 20):
On DL, the IFE is on nonstop gate-to-gate unless the safety video is playing. If you've turned your screen off, it will turn back on to show the safety video.

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 25):
Quoting enilria (Reply 20):
Not at all. PA announcements are played through the IFE, whereas if you are using personal equipment then you can't hear announcements.

Quoting enilria (Reply 20):
In the event of an accident during those phases of the flight the thinking is that the crew would not have time to make an announcement of an emergency as was the case with the Asiana accident.

You didn't read what I wrote.

The only point of not using electronics at this point is only that it limits situational awareness during a time of higher risk of a sudden accident (takeoff or landing). As was the case with Asiana, as I just said, there is not time for an announcement and the theory is that passengers watching or listening with headphones could be unaware of the danger and thereby make matters worse.

My overall point is that if the airlines are going to play IFE during takeoff and landing which has the same effect on situational awareness as an IPad (the Asiana pilots didn't have time to interupt the IFE to say "WE ARE CRASHING, STOP WATCHING GROWN UPS 2!!!!!!!!") then there is ZERO argument for turning off airplane mode electronics during takeoff and landing. See my point???

deltal1011man · Tue Jul 23, 2013 4:21 pm

Quoting enilria (Reply 36):

So every single crash is completely unexpected and they never have time to communicate with PAX is what your saying right?

Your logic is very off. I can think of more crashes that they knew something was off than ones that didn't. Plus all kinds of emergencies that don't end up in a crash.

Having said all that, honestly, complaining about the maybe 15 minutes you have to go with out your computer.....you poooooooooooor thing.

enilria · Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:16 pm

Quoting Deltal1011man (Reply 37):
So every single crash is completely unexpected and they never have time to communicate with PAX is what your saying right?

While at cruise altitude there's definitely more time to communicate an emergency and supposedly that is the logic as to why electronics can be used at cruise and not for takeoff and landing because we know there is no real interference.

You seem to be on both sides of the argument. Your position is that there is no point to increased situational awareness on takeoff and landing because there is no difference in the risk of a sudden problem versus being at cruise. Yet, you are also ridiculing the desire to occupy the first and last 1/2 hour of a flight with some sort of entertainment when you seem to be saying there is no reason to do without it.

n729pa · Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:56 am

Several have already mentioned that Qantas do it, I personally I like that especially on the longer flights, I can pre-programme my playlist before take off.

But coming back on Emirates the other day, they stopped it coming in, which I was a bit surprised at having been so use to having it on QF flights.

I suppose it focuses the passenger's attention to the descend and landing in case of emergency perhaps?

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