I've noticed a number of threads that include posts that state, "Avoid [Airline X] -- they have no IFE [in coach/on long hauls/on the seat back/etc.]"

I guess I just don't get this. In this age of inexpensive, compact personal electronics, why would IFE even matter? The only IFE I ever make use of is AirShow (on transpacs) and Channel 9 on UA. If I want movies, I can watch them, unedited and in HD, on my laptop, or if I'm less picky about video quality, on my iPod or Blackberry. If I want music, my iPod has my entire music collection and I can listen to what I want, when I want, in better fidelity than any airline channel. My Blackberry can play music, too, if I were so inclined.

I bring my own headphones -- either Bose for long-hauls or in-ear Etymotics of shorter flights. The quality is infinitely better than what the airlines provide and both are noise-canceling or noise-suppressing.

I have an extender battery for my iPod and laptop. My iPod will play for close to 20 hours before it needs recharging. I don't have, but could get, an extender battery for my Blackberry that plugs into the USB port. My netbook will run for 5 hours on the internal battery and, with an APC universal extension battery, five more. I can easily keep myself amused LAX/HKG (16+ hours depending on the jet stream) with my own IFE without ever having to rely on the airline's.

Airline movies are pan-and-scan and, particularly in coach, G- or PG-rated "family" fare, heavily edited and shown on televisions, either cabin or seat-back, that are of relatively poor quality. Why would anyone prefer this to viewing the unedited film of your choice in the original aspect ratio on even the meanest laptop? Why would anyone want the limited music selections available when they can listen to their own choices?

I've always brought my own IFE, starting in the 70s when I'd carry a pair of hifi headphones and a big clunky cassette player. It didn't take me long to figure out that the better the quality of the music I was listening to, the more easily I could put my mind elsewhere -- this was one of the first things I did to learn to cope with my fear of flying (well, actually the second -- bourbon was the first. ). I attracted some stares back in those days, but my entertainment was considerably more varied and of higher quality than that provided to the other pax who had to listen to airline-provided music through those stethoscope-tube headphones.

So why is airline-provided IFE so important that people will choose flights and even airlines based on its availability? Why not just bring your own? I'd really like to know.

I agree 100% - I bring my own for the simple reason that no IFE system has ever carried what what I want to watch or to listen to.

On my last several TATL flights, I never even opened the screen or plugged into the headset jack.

Another agreed!

I can't be bothered carrying my own viewing material. Guess I'd far rather watch movies at home on the HD widescreen.

But for listening, yup, my Ipod has everything I want. For long hauls I want to sleep as much as possible. So my tunes in my ear provide a little lullaby.

My form of IFE includes playing game on my laptop, so battery would be drained too quickly.
I don't really care for the movies/musics, but inflight power is very important for me.

I refuse to watch IFE because they edit the movies/shows. That irks me to no end. I am an adult and I will not be told that I have to watch something safe for the kiddies. The airline should not play the role of babysitter, expecially at the expense of the mainly adult population on the flights.

Besides, I have my iPod, so I am just fine on my own, thank you.

I don't have an HD widescreen at home so I actually find good IFE quite important on long haul flights since it is a way to kill the time between reading/sleeping/eating. I avoid travelling with my laptop since it takes up valuable space/weight and find it interesting to listen to music other than my ipod. I definitely prefer AVOD with a large selection of international films and have often seen films before they've been released in France or haven't had a chance to see before. Also I've discovered quite a few independent films I'd never heard of before. I could only wish all airlines offered SQ levels of IFE compared to some that still have 80s style CRTs hanging from the ceiling. Even prefer flying NW trans atlantic thanks to better IFE than AF/KL/LH...

Most of my TATL flights for the past 10 years have been on UA. I like the idea of IFE, but UA's movie selection so unsuits me that I almost always simply read the whole time or play with my Nintendo DS. I simply don't care to watch two month old blockbuster releases. I swear, it seemed like one year they were showing 'Mickey Blue Eyes' the entire year. On the occasions where I do want to watch, there is often much static flicker, or the movies in the guide don't match what is really showing. The IFE in the new C seats is obviously better though.

Now, the IFE offered by SAS, Emirates, and others is a different story. I like the interactive games, like the trivia game, or the golf game. I think I spent most of a NRT-CPH flight once playing the games. That golf game is really, really tough.

All I need for IFE is a novel--or two or three--depending on the length of the trip. I rarely watch the movies because they don't interest me, and I don't need to listen to music all the time.

Not everyone brings a latop when travelling, or has a laptop with long enough battery life, or would be flying with an aircraft/in a class with in-seat power. And sometimes you just forget stuff - earphones, loading new video files, power adapter....

I fly SQ 99% of the time as it's my company's designated carrier, IFE is not just movies and tv programmes, but tonnes of computer/nintendo games to choose from. Sometimes I just don't feel like dealing with setting up my laptop and wires. And given the selection on SQ, I've enjoyed watching things that I don't normally, like a Japanese movie or travel documentary. I actually got started on House from an episode I caught on the plane. I enjoyed it so much once I landed in HKG I headed over to HMV and bought the Season 1 DVD!

But I wouldn't necessarily only fly with airlines that have good IFE - for personal travel price would be more of an issue.

I can't imagine a long flight without the little map showing me where I am. It tames that inner child that is always asking "are we there yet?!"

I won't fly long haul on an airline without IFE.

IFE is important especially if stuck in Y. I prefer not to drag out my laptop during flight unless I need to do some work. I do have an ipod for music, but it is about the size of a match box, so not a big deal to keep in my pocket.

Also the airline is likely to have a variety of movies/tv shows which I wouldn't have thought to bring. I've actually caught many movies on planes which I wouldn't have seen otherwise. A fuly functioning AVOD system with dozens of movies, games, etc is a huge perk and I avoid certain airlines which don't have it.

Agreed, though for me long haul is anything transpac/transatl. I don't mind a domestic flight without IFE because I can usually keep myself occupied for the 5 or so hours with work/reading a book/listening to music. Longer than that though, I need to add the variety of IFE to the mix.

I will clarify that long haul for me means tpac/tatl also. IFE is nice on domestic flights, but is not a deal breaker.

Same here, that's the only thing I use the IFE for. As my longhauls are virtually all overnight (South Africa - Europe), I tend to have a drink, eat and go to sleep (fortunately, 90% of my longhauls are in C ). In the morning when I wake up, I look at the flightmap to see where we are. Have not watched a movie for years, the screen is too small and the video quality too poor (on SA in any case) . (I' m not a big TV watcher at home either)
When I once did a CPT/FRA daytime flight, I tried to watch a movie. Awful experience, ended up reading and working on the laptop.

I do love my ipod plus noise cancelling headphones though!

I personally enjoy IFE a lot. When flying internationally, it's nice to be able to immerse myself in the carrier country's programming. When I flew Qantas, I very much enjoyed several Discovery-type programs they had about Qantas and Australia.

Love catching up on the UK news/gossipy type stuff when flying BA.

And I don't think my personal movie collection matches the vast library of Virgin Atlantic. I remember watching the Constant Gardner and very much enjoying it.