Programs: QF (WP), NZ (Jaded KC), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 3,796
Qantas to provide passengers with iPads
It seems the trial was successful and QF is doing more than some thought by providing free iPads throughout the 767 fleet.
Quote:
Qantas passengers on the airline's 767 planes will be provided with iPads for their inflight entertainment, following a successful trial of new in-air streaming technology.
The airline announced today that passengers in both business and economy classes would be given iPads on board which they could use to access more than 200 hours of entertainment programs.
The first aircraft with the technology installed is set to roll out in the fourth quarter of this year. The technology, known as QStreaming, will be available predominantly on domestic east coast routes and on flights to Perth.
.....
Providing iPads free-of-charge to all classes is the latest shot in an ongoing war between Australia's two largest airlines. Inflight entertainment is shaping up to be one of the key battle grounds between Qantas and rival Virgin Australia as they battle over customers, particularly in business class.
Virgin Australia trialled inflight entertainment via pre-loaded Samsung Galaxy tablet computers in its business class cabins on board Boeing 737 and Embraer E190 planes in April. The Galaxy tablets are expected to be provided to business class passengers free of charge, with a fee for economy class passengers.
Virgin is also planning to provide on-board Wi-Fi internet access.
From previous comments, I believe that it's possible to lock the iPads as QF only.
Also, why are 767s still planned to fly to Perth? I thought that they were being phased out on this route.
Programs: | QF WP/LTG | UA G | AA | AS | PC P | bike | CityRail |
Posts: 9,231
From seeing how AS issue their dig-e-players, expect the crew to spend half an hour giving these out, then they start the drinks service then food. Effectively it just delays everything while sorting the technology. And then they have to get them all back before approach. Oh, and there are some swaps because the batteries are flat. Sounds great, but I'd want to be convinced ....
Programs: QF (WP), NZ (Jaded KC), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 3,796
I thought it was stated by QF that after the trial they would not supply the iPads but have the system so anyone with a wifi device could access the onboard IFE content.
With the increased competion between QF and DJ I guess this makes QF offering on the 767, with their battered, wore and tatty cabins, more competitive with DJ.
From seeing how AS issue their dig-e-players, expect the crew to spend half an hour giving these out, then they start the drinks service then food. Effectively it just delays everything while sorting the technology. And then they have to get them all back before approach. Oh, and there are some swaps because the batteries are flat. Sounds great, but I'd want to be convinced ....
Oh, passengers should find the ipad in their seatfront pockets upon boarding - and the ipads are fitted with an external battery that supposedly lasts up to 20hours.
Programs: QF LTG/WP, Various others = way too much flying
Posts: 189
In the absence of information about how this is actually going to work, I'm concerned it really hasn't been thought through. I experienced tablet IFE on a recent AA flight (albeit in First class) and it was not a stunning success:
- they were stored in a cart, and were distributed and collected at the end of the flight by the FAs. They wouldn't have been able to fit more than about 16 of them in the cart due to their bulky carry-case.
- they were powered with a plug-in adaptor; this clearly requires power to the seat but overcomes the battery issue
- they came with a small stand so that you didn't have to hold them for the ~2 hours of your movie, which is good because otherwise you'd have a mighty sore hand and the tablet would quickly get a build-up of grubby skin oil on it. Conversely you needed to have your table down to put them on, I'd be concerned that in economy you'd get such a sore neck from essentially looking down at your lap
- mine had a software glitch, the first replacement I got was missing it's power cable and the second was the last spare one on-board
- the FAs really had the irits with the whole process; it caused them so much more work than an IFE that they simply turned on.
Does anyone know what stops a passenger slipping an iPad into their bag and taking it with them?
There's no 'hard security' (eg RFID strips, remote detonation of a tiny thermonuclear device) but the iPad is generally locked down as much as it can be (in accordance with Apple), eg it 'boots' straight into the Qantas screen and all settings are hidden/disabled.
Qantas to provide passengers with iPads
