ARCHIVE: DL to offer all IFE for free to all pax. Will AA follow?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BUR
Programs: AA, DL Platinum, AS, AF/KL, UA, VS, HA, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,788
ARCHIVE: DL to offer all IFE for free to all pax. Will AA follow?
AA followed DL's lead and decided to re-offer comped snacks to all pax. Now DL will offer all IFE to everyone...
Delta Becomes First US Airline To Offer All In-Flight Entertainment For Free
AA has got a ton of catch-up to do with DL in terms of even having personal IFE, but it would be an incredible boast to pax morale if this was all comped even if you are in back.
Will AA offer all comped IFE too?
------------
UPDATE: As of 6/6/2016, no. - United & American – No Plans to Match Delta’s New Free In-Flight Entertainment Policy
Delta Becomes First US Airline To Offer All In-Flight Entertainment For Free
AA has got a ton of catch-up to do with DL in terms of even having personal IFE, but it would be an incredible boast to pax morale if this was all comped even if you are in back.
Will AA offer all comped IFE too?
------------
UPDATE: As of 6/6/2016, no. - United & American – No Plans to Match Delta’s New Free In-Flight Entertainment Policy
Last edited by Oakshadow; Jun 5, 2016 at 5:01 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
I hope so, their domestic eco IFE selection is garbage.
#4
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
I will just add that I am excited that DL keeps making small positive changes all of the time. Sure, they have some elite FF unfriendly stuff going on (C+ upgrades), but these changes (like the snack and removing call center booking fees) is leaving AA a bit unsure how to react.
AA can copy, but in the example of the call center fee, AA likely feels that it is missing something or a threat to revenue and doesn't understands DL's research.
I've dreaded the sameness now that we have so few major domestic carriers (the copycat RDM is particularly the worse example of DL innovation with no innovation from others), but DL has been working their angle because it probably does realize there is no distinction in pricing, so what else can there be?
Rasheed
AA can copy, but in the example of the call center fee, AA likely feels that it is missing something or a threat to revenue and doesn't understands DL's research.
I've dreaded the sameness now that we have so few major domestic carriers (the copycat RDM is particularly the worse example of DL innovation with no innovation from others), but DL has been working their angle because it probably does realize there is no distinction in pricing, so what else can there be?
Rasheed
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
<redacted>
The decimation to the FFP that DL has led far outweighs any marginal benefit from "small positive changes" on things like IFE and biscoffs.
All the IFE I need or want on any domestic flight is the book in my backpack. Make the wifi free and I might notice. Movies and TV - meh!
I will just add that I am excited that DL keeps making small positive changes all of the time. Sure, they have some elite FF unfriendly stuff going on (C+ upgrades), but these changes (like the snack and removing call center booking fees) is leaving AA a bit unsure how to react.
All the IFE I need or want on any domestic flight is the book in my backpack. Make the wifi free and I might notice. Movies and TV - meh!
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 3, 2016 at 8:36 pm Reason: Redacted previously deleted post content
#6
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
AA followed DL's lead and decided to re-offer comped snacks to all pax. Now DL will offer all IFE to everyone...
Delta Becomes First US Airline To Offer All In-Flight Entertainment For Free
AA has got a ton of catch-up to do with DL in terms of even having personal IFE, but it would be an incredible boast to pax morale if this was all comped even if you are in back.
Will AA offer all comped IFE too?
Delta Becomes First US Airline To Offer All In-Flight Entertainment For Free
AA has got a ton of catch-up to do with DL in terms of even having personal IFE, but it would be an incredible boast to pax morale if this was all comped even if you are in back.
Will AA offer all comped IFE too?
#7
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,645
How so?
I was recently on a A319 (IFE only available via streaming) and they had all the recent blockbusters and some more.
Not bad (unless you are expecting them to have that obscure indie-japanese film).
Of course, each title was $4.95 and up.
If they offer free stuff, how free would it be? Only some featured films free and then the rest for pay?
How is delta doing it?
I am not sure if I prefer a free crappy selection of movies or are more varied one for pay.
I was recently on a A319 (IFE only available via streaming) and they had all the recent blockbusters and some more.
Not bad (unless you are expecting them to have that obscure indie-japanese film).
Of course, each title was $4.95 and up.
If they offer free stuff, how free would it be? Only some featured films free and then the rest for pay?
How is delta doing it?
I am not sure if I prefer a free crappy selection of movies or are more varied one for pay.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BOS, LAX
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 804
Does DL have screens installed in front of every seat to offer IFE? Or is it done thru streaming content to passengers' own devices?
Last edited by grrizzli; Jun 3, 2016 at 9:18 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
I thought AA already announced that most of their IFE would be complimentary? Along with the announcements of "meals" on DFW-Hawaii and such?
#11
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Here's the Press Release itself.
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
The DL 738, 739s and some of the 757s have in seat screens. I don't know about widebodies but I would assume the same on most, if not all, of those a/c. Not sure if DL is retrofitting the 319/320s
If AA is willing to follow the lead and hand out little bags of pretzels I guess AA will also provide free IFE on AVOD 738s, LAA 321s and 319s in Y. Of course all LUS a/c, MD80s, older 738s, 757s, and 763s there is nothing in Y so it only impacts a smaller amount of the fleet.
If AA is willing to follow the lead and hand out little bags of pretzels I guess AA will also provide free IFE on AVOD 738s, LAA 321s and 319s in Y. Of course all LUS a/c, MD80s, older 738s, 757s, and 763s there is nothing in Y so it only impacts a smaller amount of the fleet.
#13
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: PHL
Programs: AA
Posts: 342
My issue with AA's IFE is that the in-seat screens have a MUCH wider selection of free content than the streaming service. So if you're stuck in LUS aircraft, sure you have streaming entertainment, but the free selection is crap compared to the in-seat TVs.
#14
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: PHL
Programs: AA
Posts: 342
The DL 738, 739s and some of the 757s have in seat screens. I don't know about widebodies but I would assume the same on most, if not all, of those a/c. Not sure if DL is retrofitting the 319/320s
If AA is willing to follow the lead and hand out little bags of pretzels I guess AA will also provide free IFE on AVOD 738s, LAA 321s and 319s in Y. Of course all LUS a/c, MD80s, older 738s, 757s, and 763s there is nothing in Y so it only impacts a smaller amount of the fleet.
If AA is willing to follow the lead and hand out little bags of pretzels I guess AA will also provide free IFE on AVOD 738s, LAA 321s and 319s in Y. Of course all LUS a/c, MD80s, older 738s, 757s, and 763s there is nothing in Y so it only impacts a smaller amount of the fleet.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BUR
Programs: AA, DL Platinum, AS, AF/KL, UA, VS, HA, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,788