5 ms·

It sounds like you were on a fairly old United plane (CRTs in the aisle). While there are newer planes with seat-back screens, their newest planes eschew any so

by mbreese 10y ago

It sounds like you were on a fairly old United plane (CRTs in the aisle). While there are newer planes with seat-back screens, their newest planes eschew any sort of seat-back entertainment completely. At least on domestic flights, it's been a while since I've flown internationally. This is a deliberate decision that airlines are starting to make. If most passengers are bringing a wifi-capable device (ipad, phone, etc), then why go to the extra expense (and weight) to support seat-back screens? Now, my main experience with this has been flying within the US where none of the newest planes have screens. Internationally, there may still be screens included in newer planes, but when screens = weight, and weight = $$$, it's not surprising that they are getting removed. Moreover, screens = depth, which when removed can make room for more rows, which means more money. If this electronics ban takes hold though, I'd expect for there to be a big rethink about this.

mcpherrinm 10y ago
Spirit airlines has the thinnest seats I've ever seen on an airplane. It's a metal sheet with thin foam and leather over it. Certainly no room for any seat-back entertainment. I'll gladly let the airline shove more seats in by thinning them out, than by reducing my leg room any further. https://www.sanspotter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/las_san_trip_report_spirit_airlines_08.jpg https://www.sanspotter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/las_sa...
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
et-al 10y ago
The problem was the wifi was incapable of handling all the passengers trying to connect throughout the entire flight from SFO to LHR. Even if I wanted to pay them money to watch a movie, I couldn't. So United saved costs by not retrofitting their airplanes with seatback screens and by offering shit wifi. Of course Louis CK would say: https://youtu.be/ZFsOUbZ0Lr0 https://youtu.be/ZFsOUbZ0Lr0

by mbreese 10y ago

mcpherrinm 10y ago

Spirit airlines has the thinnest seats I've ever seen on an airplane. It's a metal sheet with thin foam and leather over it. Certainly no room for any seat-back entertainment. I'll gladly let the airline shove more seats in by thinning them out, than by reducing my leg room any further. https://www.sanspotter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/las_san_trip_report_spirit_airlines_08.jpg https://www.sanspotter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/las_sa...

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

et-al 10y ago

The problem was the wifi was incapable of handling all the passengers trying to connect throughout the entire flight from SFO to LHR. Even if I wanted to pay them money to watch a movie, I couldn't. So United saved costs by not retrofitting their airplanes with seatback screens and by offering shit wifi. Of course Louis CK would say: https://youtu.be/ZFsOUbZ0Lr0 https://youtu.be/ZFsOUbZ0Lr0