Lots of screens will be coming to the American Airlines seatbacks over the next 5-7 years as the company reverses course for its inflight passenger experience (image via American Airlines)
Do in-seat screens define a full-service airline? Or enable carriers to charge more for tickets because it is a more premium service offering? American Airlines wants to find out.
After spending the past decade removing inflight entertainment screens on its narrow-body fleet, the carrier is bringing them back, part of “a sweeping transformation” of the passenger experience.
From next-generation seatback entertainment at every seat to substantially more premium seating options, these enhancements will give our customers more ways to relax, stay connected and enjoy their journey.
– Heather Garboden, Chief Customer Officer
The company promises “Industry-leading screen sizes” which will be “among the largest” offered in North America. At this point the size of the seats is generally the limiting factor for screen sizes, so the claim is not all that hard to meet.
Bluetooth pairing is table stakes for a premium IFE implementation these days, and American is making that part of its configuration (image via American Airlines)
American also says the screens will offer 4K displays. Buying anything else is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for a new deployment. Passengers will have access to Bluetooth pairing and USB-C charging at every seat. Neither of these is standard, per se, but both are increasingly common.
The move comes as the airline seeks to shake off its position trailing both United Airlines and Delta Air Lines in reputation and profits. The news also comes just days after a leadership shakeup at the carrier, one that many pundits suggest should have happened years ago.
Will the IFE updates be enough to matter? Unfortunately the company won’t really know until 2029 when a significant (but still minor) number of aircraft are flying with the updated experience.
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Seth Miller has over a decade of experience covering the airline industry. With a strong focus on passenger experience, Seth also has deep knowledge of inflight connectivity and loyalty programs. He is widely respected as an unbiased commentator on the aviation industry.
He is frequently consulted on innovations in passenger experience by airlines and technology providers.
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