Inflight Fun And Games, Of Your Choice
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday July 6, 1989
LONDON, Wednesday: Passengers of up to 28 airlines, including Qantas, may soon be able to telephone the ground, book hotel rooms, view the film of their choice or play video games - all from their airline seat.
The British electronics company Plessey publicly launched yesterday a new inflight entertainment device which it expects to install in more than 1,000 aircraft in the next five years.
Called the Integrated Flight Entertainment and Services System, it is a computer-based network of fibre optics connected to an individual colour television screen, headset, and keypad for each passenger.
The device, which took 18 months to develop, allows passengers to choose from a range of services, including six films, computer games, mail order catalogues and tourist information.
Using a satellite link, passengers will also be able to phone any international number from their seat, dispatch duty free orders to the ground, make instant hotel reservations and arrange car hire.
Qantas is among 28 leading airlines to express interest in the device.
Competing devices tend to offer only recorded entertainment, but have the advantage of being free to the passenger. Plessey will install its product without cost to the airline, and then charge passengers for services, splitting profit evenly with the airline.
A spokesman for Plessey, Mr Ian Proud, said the company expected a jumbo jet would generate over $A1 million profit a year for both Plessey and the airline.
He rejected the suggestion that consumers would resist paying for films, arguing they would enjoy the increased choice and superior picture offered by the liquid crystal screen.
Telephone calls are expected to cost around $A12 a minute, while films may vary from $A3 to $10.
The device will also make money for its owners by displaying advertisements as the computer searches for the requested information. Plessey says the expected cost of installation in a jumbo will be about $1.5 million.
PASSENGER'S EYE IN THE SKY
16cm personal colour TV screen on seat back
Earphones
All programmes selected on passenger's key pad, connected to attendant's terminal
In flight facilities available on screen
* Telephone
* Video games
* Films
* Flight information
* Duty free
© 1989 Sydney Morning Herald
