Jet launches in-flight mobile entertainment streaming

Mumbai, Sep 2 (PTI) Jet Airways today launched anin-flight entertainment service under the ‘JetScreen’ labelthat allows fliers to stream 220 hours of digital content onsmartphones, tablets or laptops for free. The airline claims the service is a first in the industryfor domestic carriers and comes close on the heels of thecivil aviation ministry hinting at allowing onboard wi-fiaccess. "As of today, JetScreen is live on six of our 75narrow-body aircraft, and we hope to introduce the facility onall our planes (narrow-body) by March. These facilities areavailable on two of our Delhi-Mumbai flights, apart from oneeach on the Delhi-Bangkok and Delhi-Lucknow sectors and two inthe Southern sectors," Jet senior vice-president for sales &marketing, Colin Neubronner, told reporters here. It can be noted that Vistara had such a facility in thebeginning on one of its planes. But it was offering this usingtheir own devices. Earlier, the now-grounded KingfisherAirlines was the first to offer onboard entertainment on fixedscreens on the domestic flights. It was later emulated bynational carrier Air India but discontinued for long now,though the screens are still on the planes. Without disclosing the quantum of investment, Neubronnersaid the company has invested heavily into the service by wayof hardware and content licensing but will not charge thepassengers for using the facility. "It’s part of our service and delivers on our commitmentto offer enhanced full-service experience to our guests," hequipped and said the airline has no immediate plans tomonetise it. JetScreen uses an onboard wireless streaming technology,licensed from the American company Global Eagle Entertainment,which is a global leader in media content and offers 220 hoursof media library including movies, television shows, music andgames apart from a special offering for the kids under theJetKids label, he said. Neubronner said the initial focus is on domestic flightsas the airline already offers in-flight entertainment on fixedscreens on its international flights using the wide-bodyplanes, except on the short haul sectors like the Saarc andGulf region, where the airline deploys narrow-body aircraft. All that a passenger has to do is download the ‘AirtimePlayer’ app, available for free in all major App stores, ontheir Wi-Fi enabled personal devices to access the fullcontent while some of the content do not need even this, hesaid. When asked about how soon the airline can offer onboardbroadband-enabled Wi-Fi connectivity, Neubronner said itdepends on when the government will allow such an offering.(MORE) PTI BEN DK JMABKRYS