Catch the Latest Trends in Inflight Entertainment

In 2000s the roll-out of seat-back TVs was a major development that provided the much needed boost to in-flight entertainment. In this article, your UNIGLOBE Travel expert takes you through the latest trends in in-flight entertainment that vary from flight to flight. Read on…

What is the newest offering in in-flight entertainment?

The latest significant development in in-flight viewing is media streaming to travellers’ devices. This involves the use of a traveller’s own device (laptop, tablet or smartphone) to connect wirelessly to a media server located on the plane, serving a large selection of content. This trend was built on the back of the large investment that airlines have made in the installation of in-flight wifi over the past 5 years.

With most travellers’ devices having a better resolution and viewing experiences than the seatback TVs, streaming media on their own devices serves as the preferred option for travellers.

How do I access the streaming content?

In-flight wifi works by connecting the traveller device to a wifi router on the plane, when then connects to an internet signal either on the ground or via satellite. It is this connectivity beyond the plane that requires a wifi subscription. As the media streaming is from a server located on the plane, no wifi subscription is required. Most airlines are offering the streaming media for free, though some may charge for premium content. For travellers who do not have compatible have devices to watch TV and movies, or for those who prefer a larger screen, some airlines also offer tablet rentals.

It is not difficult to imagine the future when travel technologists will be able to take for granted passenger hardware and broadband connectivity in the airline cabin. From in-flight shopping with in-flight-only deals to on-board social networking, you don’t know what the future of in-flight entertainment holds for you…Whatever it may be, you’ll be sure to hear it first from your UNIGLOBE experts!