Cathay mulls removal of seat back TVs
#16
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
I see the problem of CX now: it's top-down starting with John Slosar. The instance he heard of this idea he should of said: "Are you crazy or just dumb?" iPad's are popular? Maybe to a very young age group in particular countries. PTV demand isn't there? I must be dreaming everytime I fly CX and all the pax are tuning in to the IFE. The burden is on me to entertain myself now on a flight that easily costs between $1500-$2000 USD nowadays? This ridiculous desire to cut fuel per flight is starting to make CX into a ridiculous airline. Go ahead CX, make the move, I'm hopping over to SQ/*A faster than a speeding bullet.
#17
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,421
I see the problem of CX now: it's top-down starting with John Slosar. The instance he heard of this idea he should of said: "Are you crazy or just dumb?" iPad's are popular? Maybe to a very young age group in particular countries. PTV demand isn't there? I must be dreaming everytime I fly CX and all the pax are tuning in to the IFE. The burden is on me to entertain myself now on a flight that easily costs between $1500-$2000 USD nowadays? This ridiculous desire to cut fuel per flight is starting to make CX into a ridiculous airline. Go ahead CX, make the move, I'm hopping over to SQ/*A faster than a speeding bullet.
I agree removing ptv's is a bad idea almost everyone even those with ipads use them.
Also it is interesting how advocates of Jetstar Hong Kong in an already over competitive Hong Kong market now hate this decision. I would not be suprised if Cathay implemented a lot more cost cutting measures in the name of fuel and the environment- they need to stay sustainable as a business
And Cathay Has a Strong desire to be the only Major airline in Hong Kong
At least they are looking at options so that they can maintain their market share unlike the silly Singapore airlines whose position in Singapore is no where near Cathay's position in Hong Kong currently!!
Well I hope Cathay stays in its dominant position in Hong Kong and with the way it already competes with lowcost airlines and is still the dominant airline on those routes I think it has a strong future.
I wonder if they will create a fifth "low cost Cabin " on all flights (343 on 777 with lower pitch , thinner seats,no ptv"
#18
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: HKG
Programs: CX Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 418
And it also comes down to competition. If SQ, EK etc. continues to provide free IFE (in whatever form, seatback TV or tablets), there's no way CX, as a premium airline, will remove it.
#19
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
i agree about the cost of content point. i would not likely buy any content to only watch movies once. on my trip between HKG-YYZ i watched 11 movies...none of which I would likely watch again. so to pay to load my ipad with that content, although last i checked, ipads are a total an complete rip off for basically a battery, hard drive, graphics chip and a touch screen....and a locked operating system that you have to jailbreak to have it do anything that apple could not spend three cents coding...so buying crap on it is a waste...sure, some people will download what ever they want and that is fine...
i think this is a bad idea. it really sounds like something a US legacy or AC would do.. or consider...
i think this is a bad idea. it really sounds like something a US legacy or AC would do.. or consider...
#20
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MNL, South Florida, YYZ
Programs: CX Diamond, AA Exec Plat, AC Super Elite, DL Plat, NW Gold, CO Gold Elite, BA Gold, PR Elite,
Posts: 231
i agree about the cost of content point. i would not likely buy any content to only watch movies once. on my trip between HKG-YYZ i watched 11 movies...none of which I would likely watch again. so to pay to load my ipad with that content, although last i checked, ipads are a total an complete rip off for basically a battery, hard drive, graphics chip and a touch screen....and a locked operating system that you have to jailbreak to have it do anything that apple could not spend three cents coding...so buying crap on it is a waste...sure, some people will download what ever they want and that is fine...
i think this is a bad idea. it really sounds like something a US legacy or AC would do.. or consider...
i think this is a bad idea. it really sounds like something a US legacy or AC would do.. or consider...
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Vancouver
Programs: CX DM, SQ TPP, QF GO LIFE, OZ*G LIFE, Marriott TIT LIFE, WOH GLOBALIST LIFE, HH DM, BA GO LIFE
Posts: 598
It's just an idea that was thrown in during the IATA AGM. This doesn't mean that they will do it.
Airbus wanted to develop A380F but look where it ended up!
Airbus wanted to develop A380F but look where it ended up!
#22
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Flying Blue, easyJet Plus (!)
Posts: 1,762
i agree about the cost of content point. i would not likely buy any content to only watch movies once. on my trip between HKG-YYZ i watched 11 movies...none of which I would likely watch again. so to pay to load my ipad with that content, although last i checked, ipads are a total an complete rip off for basically a battery, hard drive, graphics chip and a touch screen....and a locked operating system that you have to jailbreak to have it do anything that apple could not spend three cents coding...so buying crap on it is a waste...sure, some people will download what ever they want and that is fine...
i think this is a bad idea. it really sounds like something a US legacy or AC would do.. or consider...
i think this is a bad idea. it really sounds like something a US legacy or AC would do.. or consider...
Have you ever used an iPad? I was slightly cynical until I bought one. It is now my most-used item of consumer electronics by far. And if you really can't stand Apple there are plenty of other tablets on the market.
Neil
#23
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
You can rent movies as well, for the sort of price you would at a DVD rental store.
Have you ever used an iPad? I was slightly cynical until I bought one. It is now my most-used item of consumer electronics by far. And if you really can't stand Apple there are plenty of other tablets on the market.
Neil
Have you ever used an iPad? I was slightly cynical until I bought one. It is now my most-used item of consumer electronics by far. And if you really can't stand Apple there are plenty of other tablets on the market.
Neil
#24
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAH / HOU
Programs: UA GS, DL-Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Somethingist, Marriott Titanium Lifetime
Posts: 2,852
yes, i have an ipad but prefer several other makers of tablets - i have a sammy and a HP touchad and BB tab. my 5 year old uses the ipad. i use it for web surfing and streaming nextflix while on vacation. i actually use my HP touchpad more often to stream flash...[and my touchpad runs android...so i know a little bit about something...]
But I don't want to have to use it for 10 hours in a row - I would rather have a tv screen mounted in position right in front of me.
#25
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Perhaps iPad based wireless inflight entertainment systems are the way going forward. You can load as much or more content, and there would be significant fuel savings from having an iPad for each seat as opposed to a bulky built-in entertainment system. This leads to lower maintenance costs also which should result in lower fares or the sustainability of a larger network to more destinations.
Conventional seat-back TV or iPad - as long as the content is the same, what difference does it make?
Conventional seat-back TV or iPad - as long as the content is the same, what difference does it make?
#26
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX Diamond
Posts: 372
the ipad may be nice but faced with the hassle of picking a set of movies and tv programmes, downloading or burning them from DVD's (which may or may not be a contrevention of various IP laws) I know I would rather fly an airline that had IFE.
I think I actually watch the bulk of my TV consumption on CX!
I think I actually watch the bulk of my TV consumption on CX!
#27
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: BA Gold, JGC Sapphire, OZ Diamond, AF Silver, CX GR, Marriott Lifetime SL
Posts: 3,598
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.6; en-us; GT-I9210 Build/GINGERBREAD) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)
Acgually i have no problem for a seat back mounted tablet. Give me any IFE that is more responsive than the current one i am a happy camper.
Not to mention the current LCD monitor is about the same size.
Acgually i have no problem for a seat back mounted tablet. Give me any IFE that is more responsive than the current one i am a happy camper.
Not to mention the current LCD monitor is about the same size.
#29
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 110
Perhaps iPad based wireless inflight entertainment systems are the way going forward. You can load as much or more content, and there would be significant fuel savings from having an iPad for each seat as opposed to a bulky built-in entertainment system. This leads to lower maintenance costs also which should result in lower fares or the sustainability of a larger network to more destinations.
Conventional seat-back TV or iPad - as long as the content is the same, what difference does it make?
Conventional seat-back TV or iPad - as long as the content is the same, what difference does it make?
Remove the IFE and PTV, reduce the fare will be a better deal option for me.
#30
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
This is one of the most absurd ideas I have heard in a long time. I will stop flying Cathay if I am expected to bring my own entertainment on flights. Honestly, they expect that before I fly I will pre load my (as yet non-existent) tablet with 10 hours of movies for my long haul flight?
There are providers now who offer systems that stream a library of content via wifi from a server on the plane itself. Not perfect yet, but in 5 years' time maybe. You'd simply turn on your tablet, access the onboard wifi network (it's local, not an internet stream), and watch to your heart's content. No need to store anything.
Wouldn't be surprised if they stocked onboard tablets for rental for a small charge.