In-Flight Entertainment Systems: Their History and Future

For many who travel regularly on aircraft, the in-flight entertainment system proves to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the experience. With such systems, one may watch a variety of TV shows, blockbuster movies, and other forms of entertainment over long flights. As more airliners move towards cost reduction and new avenues to streamline services, however, the future of in-flight entertainment systems is one that may feature many great changes.

While in-flight entertainment systems are fairly commonplace in many modern widebody aircraft, the history of aircraft video components for entertainment is somewhat new. Despite the first in-flight movie being shown in 1921 on Aeromarine Airways, it was not until the late 1980s in which aircraft began to feature individual screens controllable by each passenger. Beforehand, many in-flight entertainment systems were drop-down screens from the overhead panel of the cabin, and passengers could attach earphones to the aircraft audio system in order to listen and watch the single provided movie. As airliners such as Northwest Airlines began experimenting with 2.7 inch in-seat displays, demand for such in-flight entertainment systems skyrocketed to create an industry trend that we still see developing today.

Despite the IFE system seeming like a standalone device installed in the seat, there are actually sets of wiring contained within the seat that ensures the availability of power. With this wiring starting from the top panel of the aircraft cabin, entertainment systems, avionics, and other electrical and electronic equipment pieces may be attached to power units. Despite relying on cables and wires for the powering of aircraft audio systems and aircraft video components, in-flight entertainment systems typically only need a small amount of fiber optic cables to efficiently transfer data. As such, the wiring itself tends to not add much weight to the aircraft. Nevertheless, retrofitting an aircraft cabin to include IFE systems can be a somewhat costly endeavor, often reaching over $3 million per aircraft.

Alongside the installation of IFE systems, operators also must procure content to provide passengers. This is what often separates the availability of content by airliners, as individual airliners will have to decide what they are willing to pay for entertainment and whether they want to procure new or older content. Typically, the movies shown during flight will often either fall into one of three categories which are early window content, late window content, and international movies. As early window content often includes movies that only recently left theaters, such content is typically the most expensive. As late window content may include a variety of popular older content and classics, it is a cheaper option. Lastly, international movies are the cheapest option, but they are typically more region-specific in availability. If an airliner decides to pursue early window content, they may negotiate directly with studios to either find an agreement based on box office ratings or a flat, yearly licensing fee. Altogether, the airline movie sector has cost airliners around $425 million in total for just 2019 alone.

With the constant concern for aircraft weight and cutting costs related to licensing fees, many airliners are beginning to realize that in-flight entertainment systems may be too expensive to maintain and power throughout flights. Additionally, phones, laptops, and tablets are quickly becoming very commonplace for passengers, thus creating an opportunity for airliners to begin looking into streaming options. With such an endeavor, airliners could replace the electrical equipment related to IFE systems and replace them with much simpler in-flight WiFi systems instead. Furthermore, airliners may be able to take advantage of the rise of streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, all of which may replace the traditional content licensing approach that is currently in practice. 

As airliners continue to find ways to cut costs, passengers may see a gradual change to in-flight entertainment systems as services move towards streaming. If you are in search of aircraft audio systems, aircraft video components, and other aviation electronics for future in-flight entertainment endeavors, Aviation Axis is your sourcing solution with over 2 billion new, used, and obsolete items readily available for purchase through our website today. Experience the Aviation Axis difference today and receive a competitive quote when you send us a completed RFQ form.


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