V-Flyer

Got so used to the quality on-demand In Flight Entertainment, that I was shocked to sit in my UC pod on VS17 on Monday evening and find the old style IFE system, with dramatically fewer choices, and they started when they started: no rewind, no fast forward. and if you don't like it, then too bad, you have to wait for the next cycle!

what decade are we in again?

come on VS - your PAX expect better of you than this antique system. Yeah, I know the Panasonic system is coming, but really - its nearly 2011, and this system is still fitted on some planes?!

Changing an IFE isn't the same as popping your car into Halfords for a new radio. Last count, it was £2m+ per aircraft just for the hardware and fitting.

Having said that, Odyssey and Nova are well past it.

Costs aside; Odyssey and Nova are still on par with some of the offerings of other airlines out there. United Airlines Y class IFE on the 767 springs to mind; the screens on there are small and film choices are less.
Yes, it is easy to forget that it isn't all that long ago that IFE was unheard of. Something we often forget in this days of choosing what film from a list of 500 we want to watch.

Kevin.

Bottom line; until people vote with their wallets and go with another carrier, why pay out for the upgrades? Can't say I look forward to flying ex LGW but the planes are always nice and full. Problem is flying club keeps people coming back - more than compensates for iffy IFE on a minority of AC. But I do enjoy reading a good old moan so thanks for that!

craigmonster wrote: But I do enjoy reading a good old moan so thanks for that!

Not as much as I enjoyed writing it ! I fly very regularly, mostly UC, and this was the first time in years I'd seen the old old system. No I was not nostalgic. And comparing VS to United or Delta is not a good comparison. Major US airlines are dreadful from top to tail. It's the European ones that are VS peers.

The point is to lead, not equal.

Seriously though: any way of spotting which aircraft are lumbered with old IFE, so I can avoid them?

narikin wrote:Seriously though: any way of spotting which aircraft are lumbered with old IFE, so I can avoid them?

Our very own V-Flyer!

Generally though it's the LGW/MAN fleet and A343s

Thanks, hadn't bothered to look for that before as I'm always out of LHR. Live and Learn.

Next trip in 3 weeks, returning for Chrimble. will check my booking.

craigmonster wrote:Bottom line; until people vote with their wallets and go with another carrier, why pay out for the upgrades?

But VS are upgrading the IFE. The new a/c will have a brand new IFE that will knock socks of V-Port, and the rest of the LGW fleet will get a new IFE when they get their refurb due to start late next year.

Bill S wrote:

narikin wrote:Seriously though: any way of spotting which aircraft are lumbered with old IFE, so I can avoid them?

Generally though it's the LGW/MAN fleet and A343s

The exception with the 343s being G-VSUN.

You won't know which aircraft until shortly a few hours before the flight when all is revealed on the Status Updates tab in the Toolbox and even that is subject to operational changes

Neil wrote:

craigmonster wrote:Bottom line; until people vote with their wallets and go with another carrier, why pay out for the upgrades?

But VS are upgrading the IFE. The new a/c will have a brand new IFE that will knock socks of V-Port, and the rest of the LGW fleet will get a new IFE when they get their refurb due to start late next year.

Neil, of course you are correct; I just wish they had done this sooner. But given the financial situation airlines are in today perhaps we're lucky it's happening at all. My MCO trip next year will probably be via JFK; more reward availability I think and Jet Blue from JFK to MCO looks good. Thje missus has an AMEX upgrade to use - never get on the A330 with that! Still, couple of nights in NYC aint a disaster!

craigmonster wrote:My MCO trip next year will probably be via JFK; more reward availability I think and Jet Blue from JFK to MCO looks good.

And the Live TV on JetBlue is great - the time does literally fly by!

Tinkerbelle wrote:And the Live TV on JetBlue is great[/url] - the time does literally fly by!

Indeed it is, I just got off a Jet Blue flight from DC to Boston, live TV was on from boarding to disembarking y) .