Delta will offer free Delta Studio programming by July 1. (Image: Delta)
After years of watching airlines pile on new fees for every imaginable service and amenity, it’s a little jarring to hear that they plan to start offering something for free. But that’s what’s happening with in-flight entertainment at Delta and United.
Delta said that by July 1, its Delta Studio selection of in-flight entertainment programming will be offered at no charge for all customers on its two-class aircraft, which includes 90 percent of its fleet.
The carrier said the Delta Studio selections – which provide up to 300 films, 750 TV shows, 100 foreign films, 2,400 music tracks, and live satellite TV on some planes – will be available via streaming to personal electronic devices on 1,000 aircraft, and through seat-back entertainment systems on 400 planes that have them. “Entertainment options will vary by aircraft type and route,” Delta said, with more details available at www.delta.com./studio.
Standard economy seats on some United jets get 9 inch screens- but most don’t have screens at all (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
Meanwhile, United is expanding free streaming entertainment to its newer 737s, a project that should be finished by the end of June. The service is already available on United’s A319s and A320s, and on many international aircraft.
United is moving away from seatback screen-based entertainment, although that will continue to be offered on older 737s, which also offer paid live DirecTV. United only offers free entertainment to those who have downloaded its app and watch on their own device. And in most cases, its aircraft do not offer in-seat power — and streaming drains batteries fast. This makes Delta’s free offering of seatback screens much better for everyone, especially those who don’t travel with appropriate devices…or extra batteries!
No word from American yet about similar moves toward free entertainment, although its new deals with competing Wi-Fi providers Gogo and ViaSat this month for satellite-based transmissions will bring high-speed streaming capabilities to its single-aisle domestic fleet in the years ahead.
And now we have learned that Gogo and Aeromexico have teamed up for a pilot program allowing free Netflix streaming onboard.
What do you think about free inflight entertainment? Do you prefer seatback or BYO screens? Please leave your comments below.
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Scooby Dubious says
July 11, 2016 at 12:13 amWhich could easily be solved by courtesy announcements/part of instructional video/or a reminder on the start screen of the monitor itself.
I MUCH prefer the seatback option over my personal device.
NJrick says
June 11, 2016 at 10:15 pmDoes anyone know if United recognizes Chrome as a real operating system? My last flight did not allow my Chromebook to be useful.
Kirk says
June 11, 2016 at 12:26 pmIt’s free on Delta seatbacks
RPB12 says
June 11, 2016 at 12:10 pmOne key caveat, this only applies to users individual devices. It’s still not free on seat back TV’s.
Salvatore Johnson says
June 11, 2016 at 6:05 amI am mixed on what is better, just getting it on my Ipad or seat back entertainment. I can say this as a United flyer, the new 737s with direct TV was great, the picture was easy to see and enjoy, the $7.99 cost of direct TV was a joke. Its sad, you go into first class were everyone had direct TV on because it was free, but you wonder through coach and maybe you count three to five folks that paid the money.
The same with JetBlue who had direct TV for free, every seat would have it on and people enjoying it. See that United is still charging too much money for direct TV, now they are taking the TVs out because they are such penny-pinching stiffs that one of those suits whose job is to save them money decided that having 150 TVs weigh a thousand pounds or so and it was costing them a couple gallons a flight in cheap gas. That’s the motive of United, always thinking how they can save a buck instead of what is right for the customer.
jeff says
June 10, 2016 at 5:01 pmThis may be interesting as I though there is a movement to change the USB connection to a universal direction like an iPhone’s is now.
jeff says
June 10, 2016 at 4:58 pmThe sooner the seat back system is gone the better. 90% of the people using it are oblivious that it is connected to the back of someone’s seat
jlsf says
June 10, 2016 at 4:16 pmI like the seat back entertainment. The personal device system is squirrelly most of the time. But, as long as I can watch free movies on demand, I will take it whatever way they deliver it and be pretty happy!
John R. Grout says
June 10, 2016 at 12:10 pmSouthwest does not insert advertising into its media feeds during flight. Many airlines have commercials on seat-back video before takeoff, but most do not after the flight takes off.
ally says
June 10, 2016 at 12:08 pmThere will most likely be embedded advertising. The “Free” is because they are probably selling advertising space/time. Revenue generating for them and the advertisers have our COMPLETE undivided attention. Good for them..
John R. Grout says
June 10, 2016 at 11:54 amI believe the EC requires new airplanes in EU member countries to supply 5V USB power sockets, just as they do in all new residential and commercial buildings.