If you needed one more reason to make the switch to carrying an Internet enabled device this might be the reason to push you over the edge. American Airlines is testing a paperless system for mobile boarding passes. Passengers will be able to get boarding passes electronically on their Internet enabled mobile phones or PDAs via e-mail. The barcode can be scanned at TSA security checkpoints and American Airlines gates. The mobile boarding passes will initially be available for passengers on U.S. domestic flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International, Los Angeles International and John Wayne Orange County airports. If the trials are successful the mobile boarding passes may be extended to other U.S. airports.
Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Engadget reports on a Harris Interactive survey that states that 74% of US Americans say NO to in-flight calling and that cellphone usage in-flight should be restricted to “non-talking features” such as emailing, texting, or surfing the Web. Additionally, 69% of those surveyed agreed that if voice calls are permitted, a special “talking zone” should be established so that other passengers are not disturbed. This “talking zone” brings to light what the etiquette should be for making in-flight voice calls regardless of the technology used. Airlines have offered in-flight phone services before, but their unusally high costs limited their usage but if one can use one’s own cell phone or VoIP via in-flight Internet access that doesn’t mean one should be yammering endlessly on a voice call. An MSNBC article also points to a 2005 poll sponsored by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and the National Consumers League that showed that 63% of those polled were against in-flight cell phone usage.
What’s your position on in-flight voice calls?
Flickr user Crashworks has some excellent pics of Virgin America’s RED IFE system in action. Below are some samples.
in-seat chat
games
television
maps
power
This email from a BOL listener was read on the Buzz Out Loud podcast #714…
Dear Buzzards,
I was in the cockpit over the eastern U.S. the other day and decided to take out my laptop and look up some technical data on the 737 I was flying. At the unnamed American Airline I fly for we have recently begun carrying our manuals in digital format. When I booted up I noticed that wireless networks were available. This is quite common and is usually someone’s laptop in the cabin. Just out of curiosity, however, I opened up the Wi-Fi window and saw that the signal was from an aircraft with Wi-Fi service that was flying just above and ahead of us. I knew it was from that airplane because the signal identified itself as being from a particular U.S. airline, (which will also remain unnamed), that has Wi-Fi service and we heard their call sign on our frequency. That got me thinking about the proposed balloon network you talked about a while back and I was wondering if you couldn’t come up with an airline mesh network. Our airline alone has more than 2,500 flights a day and the sky is always packed with airliners. Have you ever had to sit in the air an extra hour in a holding pattern because there were too many airplanes in a given block of airspace ahead of you? ATC is always having to speed up, slow down and vector traffic to maintain legal separation. If all those airliners were equipped to create a mesh network you could easily defer the cost of the equipment as well as compensate the airlines for the service. It might even help keep travel costs down. Maybe it’s silly but it seems as valid an idea as balloons.
Keep up the good work,
Vic the Texas Pilot Rancher
Too bad its probably a long shot for a mesh network like that to become a reality.
I was recently introduced to SeatGuru.com. Have you ever ended up in a seat with limited ability to recline or so close to a lavatory making it a high traffic area during your flight? Wish you could have chosen an alternative seat? If you have the ability to select your seat prior to your flight SeatGuru.com will be invaluable to you. The SeatGuru database include seatmaps for more than 300 airplanes from more than 45 different airlines. The simple color coded seatmap and specific comments for each seat grouping helps you find a “green” seat. The database for each airline and aircraft also includes a list of in-flight amenities and airline information.
SeatGuru.com also has a noise-canceling headphone review in their Travel Resources section in which six noise-canceling headphones are reviewed.
Port Type: AC Power
If your seat is equipped with AC Power all you’ll need is the standard wall power brick that came with your laptop or other electrical device. The power on the plane is typically 110V AC and features a semi-universal receptacle that accepts the following types of plugs:
- US non-polarized 2-blade plug (both blades are the same size)
- US polarized 2-blade plug (one blade is bigger than the other)
- US non-polarized 2-blade plug with Ground (aka three-prong)
- European standard 2-cylindrical prong plug (two round prongs)
Port Type: Cigarette DC Power
This is the same type of power port available in almost every car. On an airplane, it typically features 15V DC Power at up to 75 watts per outlet and if you want to plug in our laptop, you’ll need an adapter. Adapters are usually available from your laptop manufacturer and are often advertised as “Air/Auto” adapters. Many personal DVD players and cell phones already come with an adapter for the car which you can use right at your seat.
Port Type: EmPower® DC Power
EmPower® is the most widely installed in-seat power system in the skies today. Over 125,000 seats on 40 airlines feature this type of port. EmPower features 15V DC power at up to 75 watts per outlet and if you want to plug in your laptop, you’ll need an adapter that is compatible with EmPower. If you already have a cigarette style adapter, you can buy a small, inexpensive device that will allow you to use your cigarette adapter with an EmPower port.
from SeatGuru.com’s The Ultimate Guide to In-Seat Laptop Power Ports
