American Airlines: Ditching Screens for Savings

American Airlines is making big changes to its in-flight entertainment. The airline is removing seatback screens from its A319 planes. This is part of a plan to save money. Screens cost a lot to install and maintain. They also add weight, which means the plane uses more fuel. The A319s are the last short-to-medium-haul planes with seatback screens. American Airlines is sending these planes to El Salvador for upgrades. The first plane to get this makeover is N8001N. After this, no short or medium-haul flights will have seatback screens. Instead of screens, American Airlines is adding device holders. These holders let passengers use their own tablets or smartphones. The airline offers free Wi-Fi, so passengers can stream movies and TV shows. The entertainment portal has a mix of new and classic movies, music, and podcasts. For longer flights, American Airlines is keeping seatback entertainment. Their 787 fleet has screens provided by Panasonic and Thales. But the airline is not using the latest technology. Other airlines, like Delta and United, offer more advanced systems. Delta Air Lines is a good example of great in-flight entertainment. They offer live TV on many flights. This started in 1996 during the Atlanta Olympics. Today, passengers can watch live sports, news, and TV shows. Delta also provides a wide range of movies and TV shows to stream. American Airlines is not keeping up with the latest tech. They still use older systems on their longer flights. Other airlines are moving ahead with better entertainment options. This makes American Airlines fall behind in the race to offer the best in-flight experience.