Tips for Avoiding Seatback IFE
 

I really never thought I'd post this, but I'm developing something of an allergy to IFE systems. Basically, I've found that if there isn't a digital screen in front of me I enjoy a flight more (especially since even if I shut my screen off, invariably there's one on next to me). The best analogy I can come up with is that of why I don't like sports bars: Even if the TV is muted, the digital screen distracts me.

So, is there any advice for avoiding seatback IFE systems on major carriers (I'm mainly thinking DL since I fly them more than the other larger domestic carriers...VX excepted, and mercifully in F their screens hide in the armrest ad don't come out to play if you don't want them to)?

How about simply turning the Screen off?

I have never seen an IFE system where the screen could not be turned off.

The neighboring seat(s) may be occupied and have the IFE screen on. ;)

The solution for some is to use blindfolds. Delta seems to give them out even in economy class to all its passengers on its TATL and TPAC flights.

some airplanes IFEs have bad viewing angles/privacy filters, so neighbor screens don't affect you that much

but yeah, blindfolds (cheap) + NC earphones($50-$300)/earplugs($5) should be in your flight bag

When you are booking a flight on Delta it should have a series of icons next the flight - or you can click on the flight number which will also bring up the icons. Those icons will tell you if there is IFE and whether it is setback or overhead.

Avoiding IFE
 

Fly on Southwest! No IFE there...:D

Any new United 737 would be a great start. No IFE there. Or their aging Airbus A3xx, most of them are dark as well. Or their geriatric 747 fleet with the TV's on the ceiling.

In fact I can thoroughly recommend United for a lack of seatback IFE.

Book a bulkhead seat.

Thanks for the advice...it's actually quite useful.

As mentioned, the issue is that I'll usually want to poke away on my computer or read a book, so blindfolds are sort of a non-starter since I don't know Braille (and no, that's not me being snarky). On my present B6 flight we ended up with a plane swap (E190 replaced by A320) and the result has been a load factor right out of the 1970s (EMS is all but empty and as far as I can tell they threw some non-revs into an exit row to avoid a problem; and the rest of the plane has about a 75% load factor...I nearly had 8A-C all to myself, but a last-second standby pax got tossed in with me) so I was able to kill my IFE and the one next to me...but I had to cut them off about three times to make it "stick". On the bright side, B6 didn't have a safety video that was "trying too hard" on this flight (IMHO VX's is amusing and ear-wormy [in a way I appreciate], but DL/UA's just get annoying).

It sounds like United is probably my best bet on this front (regional jets aside). One thing I'll say is that a bulkhead seat is no guarantee of this...if I'm in row 1 on DL (and IIRC the front MCS row on VX is the same way), all that gets me is an IFE screen that's inconveniently far away and thus harder to turn off.

Air Canada's "rouge" low-cost subsidiary, which flies to Europe, the Caribbean and Japan (besides many US destinations) has no seatback IFE.

Pilot's instrument training hood:

https://www.amazon.com/ASA-H2G-Jiffy...rds=Pilot+hood

First world problems.

Surprised no one has said fly some Legacy US Air planes! Although with cross fleeting it will be a little harder, but take some flights through CLT or PHX and you'll have no worries

This is a frequent flyer website, what do you expect other than mostly first world problems? That response is no longer funny or original.

Spirit is also IFE-less. Also haven't seen it lately on Frontier.

You know you're a real introvert when you can do an entire 12- or 13-hour transpac with the IFE either off or on "flight plan" the whole time.^ There's reading, sleep, meals, and a lot of time trying to sleep but it being outside your circadian rhythm. If you have enough thoughts swirling in that tired-but-not-quite asleep mode and don't need to turn on the IFE, there's a good chance you're an introvert. Which in that situation can be advantageous.