Entertainment Tablets Only on Hawaii, NYC & DC Area, FL and BOS Routes (11/1/2018)
Oct 20, 2018, 2:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,251
Entertainment Tablets Only on Hawaii, NYC & DC Area, FL and BOS Routes (11/1/2018)
I flew AS 82 ANC-SEA on Oct. 16 in PE. After takeoff the FA announced the service would start with water, then the entrainment tablets, followed by the drink and food carts. A minute later the FA came on and said that there would be no tablets, that "they are no longer offered on this route". She explained that we should access the entertainment using our phones or other devices. Coming home tonight the tablets were offered as in the past. Anyone else seen this on their flights?
Oct 20, 2018, 9:56 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Seattle WA, USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, AS Lounge
Posts: 3,478
We had tablets both ways SEA-PHL during the last week. A couple times during the past year tablets weren't loaded on one of the longer flights for some reason and we got the "sorry for the inconvenience" spiel. Hopefully the FA was wrong about them being discontinued on some routes.
Oct 20, 2018, 10:10 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
I flew AS 82 ANC-SEA on Oct. 16 in PE. After takeoff the FA announced the service would start with water, then the entrainment tablets, followed by the drink and food carts. A minute later the FA came on and said that there would be no tablets, that "they are no longer offered on this route". She explained that we should access the entertainment using our phones or other devices. Coming home tonight the tablets were offered as in the past. Anyone else seen this on their flights?
Oct 20, 2018, 11:00 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,251
Was the flight coming home (SEA-ANC) officially longer than the flight ANC-SEA? And if so, is the difference such that one is just over X:XX and one is just under X:XX and X:XX is the official minimum flight time for handing out tablets? Flights are often officially longer in one direction than another (often longer westbound than eastbound, due to air currents at altitude), and you'd think an airline would take this into account (and do a route-specific waiver) if one direction is over some limit but the other direction is under some limit, but you never know.
Oct 20, 2018, 3:56 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,621
I don't believe that it did. This is a grand disappointment. I don't own a pad, I hate watching on my phone, and have a huge laptop.
Oct 20, 2018, 7:34 pm
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Had them last week ANC-PDX-ANC.
I do see the language on the website:
Ugh... I like the tablet. And the F seats are about to get a better way to hold them too...
I do see the language on the website:
On coast-to-coast and Hawaii flights, you can rent our inflight entertainment tablet. As our premium entertainment option, they’re always free in First Class and available for rent in the Main Cabin. Each tablet is pre-loaded with the newest movies you’ll find onboard, plus TV shows, music, and games.
Oct 21, 2018, 11:46 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton/Marriott Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 2,036
It's possible AS will be rolling tablet deployment back, but I'd say it's just as likely that the FA inferred too much from catering's failure to load them onto the plane.
Last edited by jinglish; Oct 21, 2018 at 11:58 am
Oct 21, 2018, 11:55 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,621
It is also possible that a salad cart will once again roll down the aisle and each F passenger will choose from an array of toppings on the SEA/ANC route, but with the specific language change on the website, I won't hold my breath. In fact, I never do hold my breath, because if you hold it long enough, you don't die, you just suffer brain damage.
Oct 21, 2018, 9:48 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,384
I am betting a bunch of pmVX planes will show up in a bunch of SEA-XXX routes. I already see some on SEA-IAD. AS management says they want Airbus metal “up and down the coast”. SEA-ANC might be one of those markets.
Oct 22, 2018, 6:58 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Seattle
Posts: 85
Until 11/1 tablets should be available on all of the routes they've been on in the past. Odds are your situation was just a catering mistake. Starting 11/1 it'll just be on the premium routes (Hawaii, Florida, DC area, New England)
Oct 22, 2018, 7:36 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,723
Oct 22, 2018, 7:37 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS
Posts: 2,293
they really like kicking us every couple of weeks and wait to see if we keep coming back for more.