British Airways to Run Inflight Films During Takeoff and Landing

[kevin harrison]

I guess this will spread to all airlines, pretty quickly now. As they say, excellent for families with kids..

British Airways (IAG) said it will offer inflight movies, television and movies for the entire period that passengers are on its long-haul planes after previously pulling the plug during takeoff and landing.

The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority has approved the change, which becomes effective this weekend, BA said in a statement. Carriers have generally blanked screens until after takeoff, following announcements and for 15 to 20 minutes before landing.

The switch will allow for as much as one hour of extra viewing and will be particularly appealing to families traveling with children, Frank van der Post, the London-based carrier’s director of brands and customer experience, said in the release.

BA’s most popular inflight movies last year were The Avengers, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Prometheus, Dark Knight Rises and Snow White and Huntsman. Now part of International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corp. first screened films on Boeing Co. (BA) 707 flights to Moscow and Tokyo in 1970 using cinema screens and projectors.

 

[MichelinMan]

Hmmn, not sure about this. The most likely time to have an accident that is likely to require evacuation from the plane is during take off and landing. With headphones plugged in for people watching movies etc, that can create a potential problem with trailing cables in the event of needing to evacuate the plane.

Having said that, I have noticed more and more hand luggage being taken onto planes these days, lots of it stored under seats, which is even more likely to cause problems in the case of an evac.

Or perhaps my Safety Engineer head is thinking too deeply about this! I have to think about things like evacuating offshore platforms every day as part of my job.....

 

[Holstar]

Hmmn, not sure about this. The most likely time to have an accident that is likely to require evacuation from the plane is during take off and landing. With headphones plugged in for people watching movies etc, that can create a potential problem with trailing cables in the event of needing to evacuate the plane.

Having said that, I have noticed more and more hand luggage being taken onto planes these days, lots of it stored under seats, which is even more likely to cause problems in the case of an evac.

Or perhaps my Safety Engineer head is thinking too deeply about this! I have to think about things like evacuating offshore platforms every day as part of my job.....

I completely agree... these were my thoughts too!

I know most people try to ignore the safety announcement, but at least the way it is currently you sort of have to listen to it! I would hope that the screens would be paused in order to play a safety video?

Perhaps they will allow playing from boarding, pause for take off, and then continue?

 

[Tink2312]

Hmmn, not sure about this. The most likely time to have an accident that is likely to require evacuation from the plane is during take off and landing. With headphones plugged in for people watching movies etc, that can create a potential problem with trailing cables in the event of needing to evacuate the plane.

Having said that, I have noticed more and more hand luggage being taken onto planes these days, lots of it stored under seats, which is even more likely to cause problems in the case of an evac.

Or perhaps my Safety Engineer head is thinking too deeply about this! I have to think about things like evacuating offshore platforms every day as part of my job.....

I agree also. I almost manage to strangle myself when getting out of my seat in normal circumstances and all those wires potentially trailing around would be a major hazard. Although it's not the most exciting thing, as I (like most people) fly only a few times a year, I feel better having reviewed the health and safety video/ demonstration myself and knowing that everyone else has been instructed too. I wouldn't like it if the change means that people would have the option of watching through the safety briefing.

 

[kevin harrison]

I don't see where it says that you will miss the safety video?

Just says during takeoff and landing?

 

[smileyk8]

I guess the thing is if anything were to happen the video/ audio would be turned off immediately and the intercom thingy would take over as it does when there are flight announcements. They would very quickly get your attention if needed. I don't really like flying and really appreciated being able to play games up until landing (I think they forgot to turn the entertainment off!) on a recent flight as distraction.

 

[irisheyes123]

I have been on a flight before that played the movies during takeoff and landing and I loved it can't remember who. I found it made the takeoff and landing not seem so long glad BA are doing this hope more follow

 

[dolphingirl47]

We just flew with United (out of Frankfurt) and there the entertainment program was up and running as soon as we got on board. Whenever there was an announcement, the entertainment just stopped.

Corinna

 

[pampat]

Safety announcements always cut across the audio, no problems.

For us flying on Friday with BA from Gatport Airwick, fantastic news and we don't travel with children!

Pam

 

[Rememberingthe70s]

I was recently on a Logan>LHR flight that did just this. Maybe they were testing. When it was safety video time, the movie jumped over to the safety video and then went back. Announcements as mentioned cut through the movie you happened to be watching. I think it paused briefly.

 

[adamsy73]

I'm pretty sure a very thin headphone cable wouldn't do much to stop me getting off the plane in an emergency. The safety video is so much better than actual staff doing it with the dodgy crackley voice over people pay more attention if its in front of them. And having a toddler this cant be a bad thing.