VB/PB livery rebranding starts.

[Rob R]

No I don't mate, just sick of armchair experts who think they no more than the experts. I don't know what system Virgin Australia will select, it could be a hard wired system, but after watching last weeks launch the talk appeared to be more cutting edge.

Think about with IPad's, smart phones extra with the current technology the passenger on booking their flight would be able to select what content they want and this would then be streamed to their device or a company provided device. You would be able to save your favorites and the system would learn what you like and offer/show you new similar content. It gives passengers far more control of what they want to watch or games they want to play then a fixed system. To me that sounds like a smart forward thinking airline that is providing the passenger with an up to date IFE that can adapted quickly to technology changes.

Think forward, not backwards.

[Nigel C]

Originally Posted by Rob R

No I don't mate, just sick of armchair experts who think they no more than the experts.

Think forward, not backwards.

Is there a "Like" button somewhere around here? Mods?

[Rob R]

No angry pills.

Well I was on a 2 hour flight yesterday in a non live to air aircaft and those that had IPads, smartphones etc seemed to be coping well with holding them or putting them on the tray table whilst using them.

You picked the IPad, so do some research about it. It's been certified by numerous aviation authorities as an EFB so it can be used during all phases of flight, including take-off and landings, therefore they could be handed out before departure and collected after landing. The passengers would have the use of them for the full flight. Once again think smart and outside the box.

[Dave Parer]

Rob, I agree with you mate. I am certainly no expert with IFE, but I have a real interest in Finnish Aviation as much as I do Australian Aviation, and Virgin thinking iPads is not a silly idea.

Finnair is a 'full service' International carrier (same as QF), and they have recently announced that they will start trialling the iPad on selected International routes.

The iPads will be offered to passengers onboard selected flights, with the Helsinki-Hong Kong flight being the first route that the iPads will be introduced. Finnair operates either A340-300 or A330-300 types on this sector.

The iPads will be preloaded with content including newspapers, magazines, TV shows, latest movies, games etc. Finnair will then ask for passenger feedback via blogs, forums, twitter, Facebook to gauge weather they then fully go ahead with the iPad roll out and start introducing them on other International sectors like Japan, China, other Asian ports and New York.

So this latest technology is available for the everyday person, and obviously the airlines (Finnair and Virgin Australia and no doubt there will be more) now see the iPad as the possible future in IFE.

[Andrew M]

Originally Posted by Rob R

Therefore they could be handed out before departure and collected after landing. The passengers would have the use of them for the full flight. Once again think smart and outside the box.

Not going to be allowed to be sitting in passengers laps or on tray tables during take-off or landing are they..........

As for thinking smart..... perhaps........... nah....

[Mick F]

Given that I know Rob has enough experience in an airline to know what he's talking about, I suggest you take on board some of what he's saying.

He probably know's more than most on this board, .

Mick

[Andrew M]

So can you have a tablet/iPad device in your lap and/or tray-table down for take-off and landing ?

[Rob R]

Looks like you don't know the rules. There is nothing stopping a passenger from holding their IPad or phone during take off and landing now, you just can't use them (at the moment). People read large books and the like now during take off and landing so it's no different to holding a IPad or smartphone. The only requirement is any large items must be stowed for takeoff and landing and if they stop people from holding their IPads and phones than they will have to stop them from holding their books and thats not going to happen.

[Andrew M]

Hmm reason I ask is that I have been told to put my Samsung tablet away numerous times. I have been told it's a "dangerous object" and it needs to be in the seat-pocket.....

Depends on who's interpreting the rules and the F/A......

[Rob R]

Andrew correct, it does depend on the Cabin Crew and that's a problem for all airlines. Some cabin crew like to go on a power trip, but I've never been told and I've never seen anyone else been told to put away a book or folder if been read during take off or landing. Yes I've been told to push my bag under the seat if it's stick out to far but that's fair because it could in peed another passenger, but think about objects such as large full water bottles are just as dangerous and you can't stop someone from having them.

Another thing what happens whilst taxing out for departure, the safety brief and what should the passengers be doing at that time, watching the brief and not the IFE, which on the current QF 737 doesn't come on until airborne and goes off on descent. The average taxi, take off is less than 10 mins and it takes about 5 mind for the safety briefing and to secure the cabin for takeoff. It takes about 15 mins from 10000' to park at the gate, so worse case on a SYD - BNE flight which is 1 hour 30 mins gate to gate you would lose about 25 mins of no IFE under the current system if using an IPad. Out of that 25 mins you would spend 5 mins watching the safety demo and another few mins at the other end packing your stuff up preparing for the quick get off. So you would have around 60 mins to use your IPad. Currently on the QF 737 you get 10-15 mins of news, a 20-25 min TV and 5 mins of QF promo and that's it.

Like I said I don't know what system Virgin Australia will have on the 737 and Ejet and they could go with a fixed system, but the indications from last week(it's in you tube) appear to be something new and cutting edge.