Whether you’re a frequent flyer or jetting off to some exotic location for vacations, making the short hop from one country to another or travelling to the other side of the globe, the initial excitement of take-off can soon wear off once your plane is in the air. Especially if there are several hours to kill before reaching your destination.
Once we’re settled into our seats, most of us will be looking for something to keep us occupied. Thankfully, in-flight entertainment has come a long way since just a few decades ago, when at best, all we could expect was a fairly limited selection of music via plugin headphones or if we were lucky, maybe even a movie projected onto one screen at the front of the cabin.
Although the entertainment options still remain limited at best when flying with many of the budget airlines, those offering long-haul flights now regard in-flight entertainment as a key part of their service, regardless of whether passengers are flying first class or economy. Back of seat screens are now pretty much standard with many airlines, although the overall range of entertainment on offer has increased greatly over recent years.
Keeping passengers entertained in the air
Amongst the leading long-haul airlines, competition is fierce to attract customers and especially on some of the most popular routes. As such, many airlines have invested heavily installing the latest technology in their cabins, ensuring their passengers have numerous options to choose from when it comes to their in-flight entertainment.
One airline in particular stands out from the crowd. At the World Airline Awards in 2019, Emirates were recognised as the airline which offers the Best Airline In-flight Entertainment, and what’s even more impressive, they scooped this award for the fifteenth year in a row. Amongst the chasing pack in the top five were Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines; all of whom are continuing to broaden their in-flight options.
Those leading the way for in-flight entertainment now offer passengers a great choice of movies and TV in numerous languages, with some even offering live sports, along with music channels to suit practically every taste, along with a gradually improving selection of video games. That said, not all have quite reached the heights when it comes to offering quality Wi-Fi to their passengers, which is a challenging technological problem for many airlines.
Wi-Fi allows passengers to bring their own entertainment
While the leading airlines have invested heavily in providing increased in-flight entertainment for long-haul flyers, reliable internet connections remain sketchy at best with most. According to a recent report by the Los Angeles Times, the reliability of Wi-Fi connections is arguably one of the biggest complaints amongst passengers. However, an alliance of airlines and technology providers are now working in unison, researching new in-flight connectivity solutions.
The key advantage of a standardised architecture for in-flight Wi-Fi and internet connectivity would require a huge investment, although it could also save airlines billions. Not everyone wants to sit and watch a movie or listen to music, with some people preferring to go online and chat with friends, access social networks, play games or even simply browse the internet while they travel.
In addition, considering that online casinos have become the leading providers of desktop and mobile entertainment during the last decade or so, it’s not hard to imagine the iGaming industry lending their weight to cutting edge research, aimed at improving in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity and reliability. Just imagine being able to play a large selection of poker games while travelling in the air, just as easily as you can on the ground.
Taking online poker and casino games to new heights
Watching movies and listening to movies is enough to keep some people amused during a lengthy flight, although given there’s a growing demand for more interactive forms of entertainment, the iGaming industry could fill a gap in the market for travellers which the airline industry has yet to fully realise. One that could only be fully enjoyed once Wi-Fi is more widely available on flights, whether they’re short trips or long-haul journeys.
Nevertheless, recent reports indicate Wi-Fi availability for European flights will improve significantly throughout 2020, making it possible for short-haul flyers to enjoy much better connectivity. Want to log into your favourite online casino for a few hands of poker, during a flight from London to Barcelona? That won’t be a problem, as airlines such as British Airways, Iberia and Vueling are already trialling new systems with more than 100 aircraft.
While the European Aviation Network (EAN) will only be available to airlines and in Europe, it is a huge leap forward in resolving connectivity problems that currently limit in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi availability for passengers. That said, it’s a strong indication that even budget airlines and short-haul flight operators are taking in-flight passenger connectivity seriously, aware that there’s a great demand amongst their customers.
What the future of in-flight gaming holds
Now that video gaming in general has become one of the most popular pastimes in the world, it’s not hard to imagine that already, there’ll be plenty of poker and slots aficionados playing their favourite games at 30,000 feet or higher. Looking ahead, the airlines too could get in on the act, partnering with the most famous online casinos to offer exclusive games, such as in-flight poker tournaments amongst passengers in mid-air.
There’s a whole host of possibilities that the iGaming and airline industries could embrace, bringing passengers the most interactive forms of entertainment as they whizz through the clouds. With the improved technology already being rolled out around the world, it can’t be too long before every passenger gets the level of connectivity and gaming options they deserve to enjoy.
