Originally Posted by
KenHamer
The flip side of that is that customers would happily accept a lesser experience if it saved them money.
In which case it is foolish for Air Canada to waste money on IFE systems which are:
- expensive to acquire
- expensive to install
- expensive to program
- add significant weight to to every mile travelled
- require persistent overhead wrt program guides online and in enRoute
By eliminating IFE, they could save a fortune, pass some of those savings into lower fares, and take customers from other airlines.
Alternatively, if the planes are brim full and forecast to continue to be, then offering IFE isn't going to bring in any more customers -- 'cause there's no room for them. So why waste money on IFE?
After all, we've already established that the vast majority of passengers don't care about the in flight experience.
I don't get the hate by some here for IFE.
I like it. I
don't like pretending I have a neck as flexible as a goose to look at my ipad placed on the table for 14 hours (even 2). I like knowing there is a 'good enough' selection of free entertainment I can watch when I'm bored. And I don't have to worry about getting cords to charge my devices - if power is usually even provided on carriers without IFE (its not).
My friends have complained about other airlines' lack of IFE so it isn't like people notice.
The reality is most people DO care about IFE. I think people would rather be in a 31" Y with 9" PTV over the Pacific than 33" with no PTV. IFE is much easier for people to quantify than 2" of legroom, and more memorable at that.
It is all part of the package deal - people step onto a 77P and probably 95% of people don't notice any reductions in personal space because they are kept happy by the screen in front of them. If AC were to cut IFE and keep their product the same I think RASM would have to take quite the hit.