Let's face it, for those passengers who don't get the opportunity to fly in business class or first class, taking a long-haul flight is always a misery. No matter what an airline claims - be it more comfortable seats, more legroom or better meals - sitting upright for 12 hours, sharing a toilet with 100 strangers and spilling cheap red wine over yourself as you try to take your mind off the entire day or night of cramps ahead, is never going to be pleasant. But one thing that can make the difference between total misery and a moderately bearable flight is the quality of the in-flight entertainment system. Luckily, the days of films being projected on to a screen at the front of the cabin are long gone, and the least that passengers expect nowadays is a personal TV and selection of the latest films, TV programmes and radio channels that play a vital role in passing the time. Technological developments have led to some airlines offering mobile-phone coverage on board, and it is only a matter of time before this, and internet access, become the norm on most flights. Some of these developments will be showcased at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia, taking place alongside the Asian Aerospace Expo and Congress. One of the leaders in the field of on-board communications, Arinc (a portfolio company of the Carlisle Group) will demonstrate its next generation OiTM Onboard Internet Service, that features interactive in-flight entertainment capabilities. The service allows passengers to use their laptops or the airlines in-flight entertainment system to access the internet. 'Oi allows airlines to take their in-flight entertainment systems to the next level, with interactive web applications and content that today's passengers want,' said Dan Pendergast, senior director, airline programmes of Arinc's Asia-Pacific division. 'It gives them the ability to send important e-mails and keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues at any time during their flight.' The system allows carriers to create different systems depending on their passengers' needs. 'The advances Oi brings empower passengers to connect and communicate with people in real time, any time,' Pendergast said.
