In flight entertainment setting new standards

One of the biggest factors for many passengers in choosing an airline is what kind of magic the carriers have installed in the seatback screen that will be their time-killing machine on a long-haul flight. The industry as a whole has spent almost $1.5 billion on upgrades to their in-flight entertainment systems in the last year, and by the time 2012 hits, the figure is set to rise to almost $2 billion.

Panasonic Avionics is a company responsible for many airlines’ in-flight entertainment systems, and representative Neil James says, “In-flight entertainment functions are certainly climbing on the scale of reasons why people choose airlines.”

Asian airlines have ben the first to really invest in the latest systems, and North American airlines have definitely fallen behind. Frequent overseas flyers will surely quote their favourite airlines as being foreign, with Etihad and Singapore often topping preference charts. Some industry experts say that in such a competitive climate, passengers in the United States can expect to wait three to five years before such gadgetry can be seen on US carriers.

www.etihadairways.com