JimNastic

Hawaiian Airlines, Hawai‘i’s largest and longest serving airline, will lift its award-winning in-flight service on September 1 when it becomes the only U.S. carrier to offer the Apple iPad mini on all of its wide-body Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

You can read the rest of the press release here

DanTravels

I have to confess I never splurged for a DigEplayer.

I presume the iPad minis are going to have to be loaded with some custom app for managing content, since most of the "current" movies they'll want to show won't yet be in the iTunes store, etc.

I expect playing games on them will be much more fun than trying to do so on a seatback AVOD screen, but I realize these are just a stopgap measure instead of installing AVOD on the 767s, presumably until they're phased out in favor of more airbii.

Hawaiian's site says a DigEplayer weighs 3 pounds, or more than four 0.68-pound iPad Minis. Even the latest greatest DigEplayer L7 weighs 2 pounds. Hawaiian's going to lighten their planes by a couple hundred pounds, easy.

It'll be interesting to see whether other airlines move away from DigEplayers to iPad Minis due to weight or other reasons. Of course, the one to really watch would be Alaska, since the DigEplayer was invented by one of their employees.

HA/UA_Flyer

I'm sorry, but I think this is a waste. I doubt they will rent a lot since so many people already own iPads, Android, Kindle Fires, etc. and bring their own onboard. If not tablets, you see them watching movies or playing games on their smartphones. It's a nice stopgap measure by HA given the 767's will be gone in a few years, but I think the money could have been spent better elsewhere.

Also, there is no mention if Pualani elites will get them for free in coach. On the A330, we get the unlimited movies and tv package for free so I would hope HA does the same. Otherwise, it is the continued diluting of the already lackluster elite program by HA.

azj

The Digi players often sell out so I would imagine HAL has the sales data to backup their decision to use the iPad. They're also using them on the international flights to better compete with their competitors and their IFE offerings.

thehoax

Aloha FT family.

Here is a first glance at Hawaiians new entertainment addition as of September 1st. HA is now using IPAD mini's. It's free for F class and paid in the back. I flew on the first day and it was clear that they didn't have the procedure down both during the pre boarding pre-sale and when handing them out to customers. I was up front and when they handed me my mini for the flight i put my personal one away. They FA quickly said to my seat mate that they should ask me if they have issues making it work.

It isn't a complicated machine and the selection was pretty good. Overall i am happy with this new addition. It's impressive that something like this is being first introduced in the U.S by an island based U.S. carrier.

There is a break on the price if you rent it prior to boarding. It's not much of a savings BUT it does ensure that you get one as you don't run the risk of them selling out in flight.

azj

I'm curious to know what you mean when you say "they didn't have the procedure down...?" The only thing that has really changed here is the device and calling them tablets as opposed to Digiplayers. Unless you're referring to their method to ensure people don't steal them?

thehoax

I thought my statement said it all...they don't have the procedure down. The FA on both of my travels in F within the last week were not fully briefed by the company. They should have been but apparently HA did not take the time to make sure that the FA knew how to operate the device.

My comment didn't cover their efforts to secure the device as I'm not concerned with HA theft prevention measures. However, did you mean to say that the digEplayer is just a version of Apples IPAD mini that pre-dated the IPAD mini concept? Having used both devices i can assure you they are different devices and operate differently. In both directions i experienced several FA's struggle with simply turning on the IPAD mini. Further, they were unable to quickly indicate to passengers where the volume was and how to select different languages on the device. They...as always...were very,very nice about it...but still they, "did not have the procedure down."

I am beginning to suspect that you are somewhat affiliated with this airline as seen by your prior comments on FT. If that is the case, the take home message here is employees are good...procedure was bad.

Zacnlinc

HA needs to get with the times when it comes to entertainment during flights.

It would be nice if the offered WiFi or at least stream their entertainment options so that people are able to view them with their personal devices.

On my most recent flight from HA, without warning, the flight attendant approached me and stated that she needed to collect the iPad. We were 30 mins. away from landing. So I handed it over to her with a comment that at least she could have warned folks that in 10 minutes they needed to collect them. I was pissed as I had about 15 minutes to go before the movie ended. Grrrrr!!!

azj

They are. 321neo's will have streaming content. The 330's already have PTV's. WiFi over the water is cost prohibitive and different from WiFi over land. Take a look at what airlines charge to use their WiFi over the water. Are you and the rest of the leisure guests gonna pay that?

767s are leaving the fleet, so no new entertainment options will be seen on those planes. In all my 767 flights they make it very clear in an announcement that they'll be collected 30-45 minutes before landing, so it should be a surprise. I agree though, it's frustrating to have to return the tablet when you haven't finished your movie!

Zacnlinc

Maybe I just simply missed the announcement as I was really interested with completing the movie as it was my 2nd one and I knew time was of the essence. I'll take the blame for that indeed.

And I agree that hardly anyone would be willing to pay the costs for WiFi over water. I rarely get it on my routine flights unless I absolutely have to as I'm often flying somewhere each week.

Thought I'd hate to see the 767's go from HA as we enjoy those flights for the trek over to Maui from OAK every year. This year we had to do via HNL on the 330 and we instantly converts. Now we just need to be pleasantly surprised if we get a lay flat version on our next trek in 2017.

azj

OGG-OAK is operated by the 330 during the peak summer months, you must have just missed it! Determining the odds of a lie-flat seat in 2017 will depend on how many 330 routes get replaced by the 321neo and how they deploy the reconfigured planes. At the moment SFO from both HNL and OGG are seeing the two lie-flat configured planes. More will be reconfigured this year and most of the rest of the fleet next year. Stay tuned... you just might be in luck!

JimNastic

How about removing all the screens in the seats and replacing them with power outlets so everyone can charge whatever they want including laptops, iPads, phones, etc.

For entertainment, you would connect to the onboard movie/music server via wifi with your own device or you can rent one from the FA.

That should cut down on seat weight and maintenance.

azj

HA has stated for competitive reasons on the international scene, 330's will retain their in-seat video. At least there are USB's at each seat for charging certain devices. The premium cabin and Extra Comfort have both USB and standard power.

What you describe in streaming content via onboard server is what will be the case for entertainment on the 321neo's when they arrive. I believe all seats will have power and the capability to secure the electronic device for easy viewing.

717s obviously aren't flown in markets that require entertainment and the 767s are being retired.

747FC

I can understand that in Y, it can take a lot of time to retrieve and stow many devices. Can you please explain why they need to collect it that early in F?

Troopers

This needs to happen now! Flew in a 767 HNL-OAK this summer due to equipment change and it was awful. I'm already miserable thinking about my 767 OGG-OAK flight home soon.