Seattle startup Skycast Solutions is announcing Wednesday that Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet is the first airline customer for its new portable in-flight entertainment tablet.
The device is an 8.9-inch Samsung tablet running the Android operating system and using custom content-management software.
Such portable devices can be distributed by flight attendants to passengers who rent them to watch recently released movies, TV shows or sports programming. They can replace traditional in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems embedded in seat backs.
WestJet offers live TV on its fleet of 737 jets, but Greg Latimer, Skycast's chief marketing officer, said the airline has taken its latest 737-800 direct from Boeing without any IFE system and intends to offer the portable tablets.
Latimer said the initial contract is to supply WestJet for just four aircraft, with 68 of the devices per airplane.
LiveTV is becoming obsolete as Westjet continues to grow beyond Canada. Bell TV's new satellite removes much of the footprint in the US, so no signal will be available for flights to the US or those which travel over US airpace - for instance many YVR-YYZ flights.
WestJet Airlines Ltd. will introduce pre-loaded tablets on some of its flights as an interim solution to finding a permanent fix for its lacklustre in-flight entertainment.
The Calgary-based carrier will begin renting the tablets on two new Boeing 737s in June, and another two aircraft by the end of the year, charging passengers between $10 and $12 apiece for the service, said Marshall Wilmot, WestJet vice-president of product development.
Mr. Wilmot said the Samsung Galaxy tablets, provided by Seattle-based SkyCast Solutions, will replace WestJet’s live TV and pay-per-view in-flight entertainment on those planes.
__________________
Please sponsor me for my June Underwear Affair cancer fundraiser. Donate and learn more here.
From a passenger perspective, where will the tablets be stored onboard???
I have a seeking suspicion the tablets will be stored in the overhead bins, taking up 2-3 bins depending on how many tablets are loaded onboard.
Second question, where will the talets sit/stand while inuse?
I think using the tablets will require lowering the tray table, so will the tablets be useable when the passenger infront of the tablet user reclines their seat?
answering my own question regrding where will the tablets sit while in-use by customers:
http://skycastsolutions.com/NEW/trayvuslim.html according the the manufacturers website, the tablets will sit either on or clipped to the the seatback tray. I can't the clip idea working with reclined seat.
Other features I learned from the website:
- tablets are custom branded for the customer.
- Screen size is only 8.9", could be an issue for the iPad crowd who are used to 10.1" tablets.
- Same founders invented the DigiPlayer.
- Uses Android OS, easy to jailbreak Android so getting around security/reature limitations will be interesting.
- Westjet is launch customer.
If they didn't load brand new episodes or movies, it is a complete rip off. Tablets are dirt cheap and most frequent fliers know to bring something to do when flying in Y, even J or F. I have not traveled once without my 10.1 galaxy or iPad and I only use IFE to watch the map or to possibly watch a new movie or TV show.
I'm an AC guy, but when I have flown Westjet, I've always thought their system was lacking...PPV shows and movies, whereas AC (usually for the same price for a Tango fare) offeres free on demand video.
Add this to AC's plans to vastly improve their IFE (I read this somewhere online recently, correct me if I'm wrong but I read that they are doubling their IFE content), and suddenly, Westjet is looking more and more like a low cost airline, even though many fares are similar to, if not the same as, those on AC.
I think for the leased planes to Hawaii, it's a great idea. However, for normal flights within Canada and the continental US where they are competing with AC, it might cost them some pax.
That being said though, so many people have their own ipod or ipad or laptop with them anyways, that even on AC, it's not uncommon to see half the cabin (esp. on shorter, business heavy routes) never touch the screen! If westjet were to use these planes on YOW-YYZ, or YEG-YYC, or YVR-YYC, I doubt it would cause many issues...On YEG-YUL or YYC-YYZ would be another story...
Programs: HH Diamond, Fairmont Premier, Marriott Silver, UA Scum
Posts: 911
I can see how this makes sense for flights outside of Canada, but I actually like watching live TV on the IFE for my cross country flights! I sure hope they keep these tablets on flights where they make sense to destinations *outside* of the country.
So if we have these tablets on the trays, where will we put our drink/snack? $10 rental???? I'd rather use my iPad instead!
The tablets will initially be on the aircraft being delivered from Boeing with no seatback IFE installed, and as they are mostly -800s, will mostly be on the Hawaii routes, however, could potentially be on any route that -800s are utilized on such as on some YYC-YYZ. The tablets are designed to clip onto the edge of the tray so that your tray is clear for your drinks/snack.
Programs: Star Alliance G+, Starwood PLAT, Fairmont PLAT, HH Gold
Posts: 832
WJ IFE needs improvements
Quote:
Originally Posted by nave888
I'm an AC guy, but when I have flown Westjet, I've always thought their system was lacking...PPV shows and movies, whereas AC (usually for the same price for a Tango fare) offers free on demand video.
Agreed. To add to this point, I find that WJ only activates their IFE after take-off and they shut it down before landing. On a short-haul flight, this means you can never watch a movie! AC has them running when you board. I start the movie, dispense with the commercials, and then read the paper during the IFE pause for take-off (NB sometimes you need to reboot the film, choosing the "Resume where I left off" option). On landing, I often get +10 minutes during taxi!
Moderator: Air Canada Aeroplan & Mileage Run Forum, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Posts: 38,183
Quote:
Originally Posted by Antonio8069
Agreed. To add to this point, I find that WJ only activates their IFE after take-off and they shut it down before landing. On a short-haul flight, this means you can never watch a movie! AC has them running when you board. I start the movie, dispense with the commercials, and then read the paper during the IFE pause for take-off (NB sometimes you need to reboot the film, choosing the "Resume where I left off" option). On landing, I often get +10 minutes during taxi!
That's supposed to be how it works on AC though some have reported in this thread that at times it gets shut down early or not started into well into the flight.
__________________
Please sponsor me for my June Underwear Affair cancer fundraiser. Donate and learn more here.
Agreed. To add to this point, I find that WJ only activates their IFE after take-off and they shut it down before landing. On a short-haul flight, this means you can never watch a movie! AC has them running when you board.
Perhaps you haven't flown in a really really long time, because for at least a couple of years now, the procedures are that the IFE (TV portion) is operating during boarding and only paused during the safety demonstration. As for movies, they are not on demand, so are indeed started after takeoff, on flights 2 1/2 hours or longer, so that you can indeed watch a regular length movie.
