In 2010, American Airlines made a controversial announcement to remove its Seatback screens from all its narrow-body aircraft, as per the sources available on the internet. Now, it is likely to happen that it could make a grand return on American Airlines flights. The airline is seriously thinking about bringing back seatback screens to its narrow-body planes, and it is possible that the decision may be made by the end of next month. The news has become a topic of discussion and has attracted many industry experts after a person shared this information, who asked to remain anonymous until the news is released publicly. According to the person, American Airlines is in close talks with SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon Leo to offer high-speed internet onboard.
American Airlines is facing peer pressure after finding that its rival carriers, Delta and United Airlines, are upgrading their onboard technology and introducing enhancements. Nowadays, passengers are seeking premium cabin experiences, and having a seatback screen has come up as a key differentiator for premium cabin segments. The lack of seamless, on-demand entertainment has triggered traveler complaints and revenue erosion, and to address this, American Airlines is actively evaluating advanced IFE and in-flight Wi-Fi options. According to the industry spectators, "The carrier is actively assessing advanced IFE options and broadband expansion."
Key Reasons Behind Return of Seatback Screens
- Competitive Pressure: One of the key reasons behind making this decision could be competitive pressure from its peer carriers, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. American Airlines has seen a decline in passenger numbers due to a lack of dedicated entertainment options on its narrow-body planes.
- Strategy Shift: American Airlines has shifted from its BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model, which proved less successful than expected, and now seeks to transition from BYOD to seatback screens. The main idea behind removing the seatback screens is to reduce operational costs in exchange for providing passengers a premium experience.
- Upgrading Connectivity: American Airlines is seeking to enhance its onboard connectivity by exploring a high-speed internet solution in close contact with SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon Leo. If it partners with both, you may soon find high-speed internet on all its flights and be able to access OTT and featured content.
Bottom line, although American Airlines has not made any announcements to date, the chances are high that you could soon be enjoying your personalized content through seatback screens on most of American Airlines flights.