Comments on: Save Our Screens!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:45:17 +0000

Agreed! Removing the screens is simply another way to cut costs.

On a nostalgic/”of a certain age” note: before Septemer 2001, I always enjoyed listening in to the pilot/ATC chatter (typically via channel 9 on United), and was enough of a nerd to cause my family roll their eyes when I would describe that were on the “Golden Gate” approach and/or to directed to runway 28L which usually led to a faster taxi to the gate. Anyway, that audio was clear enough with the plastic stethoscopes.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 14:51:20 +0000

In reply to Martin. In economy, this is true. One thing you can do is wear a pair of noise-cancelling headphones from home ON TOP OF the airline-provided earbuds. i do this and and it works quite well.

By: Martin

Martin — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 09:24:12 +0000

I gave up on using the IFE systems for one reason: The sound is terrible on those provided headphones. Not only are the headphones bad, they also lack noise cancelling (I only fly economy). I wish the built-in IFE systems supported bluetooth audio. I think I saw it once on a plane, but don’t remember what it was. Maybe bluetooth support is something that we’ll see more of in the future? That would be nice.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:25:39 +0000

Count me among the passengers who prefer streaming entertainment on my own devices. For one thing, I know that my devices work — who knows if the seatback screen will be operational or if it’ll be all scratched up and smudged or if the resolution and contrast will be terrible. Add to that, I can use my own headphones via bluetooth without getting all tangled up (I did fly on an airline once that allowed me to connect to the IFE via bluetooth, and that was pretty cool, but it was rare, and I don’t really like connecting my devices to random public infrastructure). Bonus points for airlines who are adding brackets to the seatbacks to hold phones and tablets at a comfortable eye level.

All that said, I do like the seatback screens for displaying the flight progress. When I’m on a flight that still has a seatback screen, I’ll usually set it to the moving map while I watch something else on my laptop.

By: DV Henkel-Wallace

DV Henkel-Wallace — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 04:24:24 +0000

I agree it’s unlikely ppl will prefer their phone to a bigger screen. But why can’t I cast (airplay) my video from my phone to the seatback display? And really, those video systems remain clunky.

I also don’t see what’s the big deal about no screen. I used to take QF1 which took 36 hours Sydney London ( stops: SIN, BOM, BAH, FRA) with a one-hour stethoscope music programme on loop — we just read books. Pre-9/11 I used to fly HAJ-SFO and SFO-TYO with no luggage or even hand luggage, just a book. Nobody batted an eye.