DL: Cash flow machine with fuel cost advantage

[WorldTraveler]

Actually, there are a lot of advantages to using portable tablets for IFE:
They're lightweight
They're very responsive, much more touch-sensitive than the Panasonic crap
They involve far less capital expense
"IFE broken? I'm sorry sir, here's a new one"
The "tap-tap-tapping" on the back of someone's seat can get very annoying for everyone.
 
The panasonic system, installed across a wide swath of the DL fleet, is old (at least two generations behind already, first installed for Song back in 2007) and notoriously unreliable, and is a b*tch to use even when functioning correctly. I'm not sure how much it weighs but I'm sure it is considerable. And of course, "tap. Tap. TAAAAP" trying to get it to function.
 
And, well, there you have it.

the effort involved in maintaining and provisioning a portable system is well beyond cost effective.

Every seatback touch screen video system invites touching - that is the whole point.

A wide portion of the fleet is hyperbole. The system is on the ex-Song 757s.

Regardless of whether it functions completely now or not, it is far more than most of DL's network airline peers have.

And now that DL is practically finished with refurbishing the international fleet, they are turning to the domestic fleet - along with retiring some of the older aircraft anyway.

I personally don't really care about IFE on a domestic flight; on an int'l flight is quite a bit more important and DL has it at 100% of the seats on its int'l fleet.

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

the effort involved in maintaining and provisioning a portable system is well beyond cost effective.

 
Incorrect. Tablets have no certification, installation, and lower maintenance costs. If you have a source stating otherwise I'd like to read it.
 
 

A wide portion of the fleet is hyperbole. The system is on the ex-Song 757s.

 
Excuse you? It's on every 737 that doesn't have the drop-downs. It is not only on the 75X (ex Song) but also on every 75E (ex TWA and transcon). Do you ever even fly on Delta?
 
I bet I fly Delta more than you do.

 

[700UW]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101585550
 
http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000267630

 

[eolesen]

What exactly does all this talk about IFE have to do with a fuel cost advantage?...

 

[700UW]

The IFE actually adds to fuel costs, that is why some airlines took them out after 9/11.

 

[737823]

The IFE actually adds to fuel costs, that is why some airlines took them out after 9/11.

That would only be USAIR and NWA. See if you actually traveled on other airlines you would know that. But you are so full of yourself and think you know it all when in reality you really don't know much about the customer facing aspects of this industry.

Josh

 

[700UW]

Welcome back stalker.
 
And who is USAIR?
 
Scoot by Singapore removed them just last year, get a clue.
 
As is UA doing this right now on their Airbus Fleet, WN never had IFE.

 

Along with Wi-Fi, the addition of on-demand streaming video will become the standard for our Airbus fleet. As a result, when these aircraft go in to have the new seats installed, the traditional audio/video system with dropdown monitors will be removed. However, these aircraft won’t “go dark”—Wi-Fi will be available on all aircraft that have the new seats. In any case, like Wi-Fi the streaming product will eventually have pricing attached to it, although we do plan to offer a limited range of complimentary content until we finalize these plans.
 
 

Learn to educate yourself:
 
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-06/ipads-help-some-airlines-cut-costs
 

Ditching the equipment and wiring that feeds seatback displays throughout a plane, not to mention the screens themselves, can shed thousands of pounds across airline fleets—weight that translates directly to consumption of jet fuel, whose cost is up 36 percent in two years. Scoot says that removing inflight entertainment systems reduced the weight of its four Boeing (BA) 777s by 7 percent—even after adding 40 percent more seats.
 
The savings are so dramatic because older IFE systems can top 13 pounds per seat or more, says Neil James, a sales executive at Panasonic Avionics (PC), the largest IFE equipment maker. Those pounds quickly add up: The entertainment systems on a 526-seat Lufthansa A380, for example, could easily add a ton per flight.
 

 

[737823]

SCOOT is a low cost subsidiary of SQ guess you didn't know that now did you?

WN has Wifi and Dish Network streaming, try again.

UA is replacing drop down screens with content streaming as well.

Is this all you could come up with?

Josh

 

[700UW]

Since you are a so-called Aviation Expert, WiFi is not IFE, WN never has had drop down monitors nor seat back monitors.
 
So genius if you dont rent their tablet no own one, nor have a laptop what good is WiFi?
 
So educate yourself again.

 

[737823]

I am educated on IFE you are not. Guess you don't know IFEC stands for In-flight entertainment and connectivity.

Josh

 

[700UW]

You just dont get.
 
Wifi with streaming is not an IFE system, there are no monitors, no screens, etc...
 
And if you dont own or rent a Wifl capable device you have ability to use it.

 

[eolesen]

It's a bit of a stretch to claim IFE adds to fuel costs, but hey, if that's what works for you...

If anything, adding IFE allowed for non-airline magazines to be dumped, which added up to more weight on average than an IFE system.

 

[700UW]

So the airline operations people and Panasonic who manufactures them said it was, so they are wrong and you are right?
 

Ditching the equipment and wiring that feeds seatback displays throughout a plane, not to mention the screens themselves, can shed thousands of pounds across airline fleets—weight that translates directly to consumption of jet fuel, whose cost is up 36 percent in two years. Scoot says that removing inflight entertainment systems reduced the weight of its four Boeing (BA) 777s by 7 percent—even after adding 40 percent more seats.
 
The savings are so dramatic because older IFE systems can top 13 pounds per seat or more, says Neil James, a sales executive at Panasonic Avionics (PC), the largest IFE equipment maker. Those pounds quickly add up: The entertainment systems on a 526-seat Lufthansa A380, for example, could easily add a ton per flight.

Better check your calculations, one magazine doesnt weigh 13 pounds.

 

[WorldTraveler]

And since when does WN have a large NE operation?

BWI?


E,
the IFE debate started with a quote from the Seattle paper article.

Ad,
I wouldn't know or care if you fly DL more than I do... I'm just saying that the system either works when I expect it should or I don't care.

Even if it doesn't work X% of the time (and I"m not interested in debating what the number is) it is still than many others have it at all..... I get the whole concept of unmet expectations which a non-working system can generate but again DL is replacing its IFE system - and of course part of the reason is that they are lighter.

Also, IFE systems do generate money.... there are people who buy movies and other paid IFE content on IFE equipped aircraft.
I haven't

 

[737823]

DL has ads on their IFE that too generates revenue. Also the 319s & 753s and remaining 752s and 738s are getting Panasonic AVOD installed.

I believe the 73G, 738, 75X, and 764 have the eX2 system while the 330, 744 have the next gen Panasonic system.

Josh