IFE on EK

[Al Fakhem]

On paper at least, EK are supposed to have - if not the most advanced - then at least one of the better IFE systems in the world.

In practice, it seems to elude both my wife and me. Jointly, we have been on some 20 EK flights over the last 4 months. On 80% of EK flights (mainly South Asia and Europe), the older system has been in place.

When it is actually fitted on a plane, it doesn't seem to work. My wife flew DXB-SIN-MEL the other day (a long trip on which you would definitely like to have some IFE), and guess what: her screen kept bouncing back to a particular channel. As bad luck would have it, this happened to be the Quran channel, which my wife - being Buddhist - found to be more than intrusive.

On top of this, the service on the DXB-SIN leg was canteen-style, with meals simply put down in front of pax without any choice of dish.

[Globaliser]

I am the utmost cynic about airline IFE systems. It seems that the more up-to-date and the more complex they are, the less reliable they are. EK isn't alone in this, but it does make me laugh when I see and hear their ads touting it: I always think that it can't be as good as it seems, and you've confirmed that I'm right! :)

[SXB]

Fair points I feel. I often think there is no substitute for the portable DVD players offered by some airlines in business class, these involve putting a physical DVD inside a player and they work !

That said, the video on demand systems are well established on the ground and they work, I've stayed in countless hotels offering this service and haven't had any problems.

In flight entertainment is important to me because it's the only way I can find to tackle the boredom of long haul flights, I always carry my tiny Sony Vaio laptop with a selection of movies and I generally use this even when the airline IFE is working correctly. Some of the movie choices of the airlines are also very questionable, I've forgotten how many times I've seen Pirates of the Carribean II over the last month......

[brian_dromey]

EKs IFE is pretty much dictated by the type of aircraft you fly on. If you are on the A345 and 777 ERs you will definately have the ICE system.

The 330 and 343s dont have the AVOD system. The non ER spec 777s dont have it either, although I believe it will be retro fitted.

I have experienced both , and I must say the ICE system is by far the superior of the two. I never had any reliability issues with it. I really like the mood-lighting and improved seats on the 77Ws as well.

[AMM626]

Recently travelled on an EK 345 from DXB to SYD which had the ICE system, and although when working it is fantastic, mine froze around 4 hours from arrival, good job I was armed with a book.

Mrs had the same on the return on a 772, luckily we'd just started descent into BHX or it could have been hours of The Simpsons playing on a loop.:{

[AUTOGLIDE]

Strange thing that some airlines are punting movie on demand as the latest greatest thing. These systems have been around for almost a decade (the original ones are over that), South African/ US Airways/some Air France to name just 3 of the longer running users. (SAA and USA in economy too).
The onboard personal DVD and tape players are great at first, until they give up the ghost after having flight after flight of ingestion of biscuits and spilt wine.
The likes of BA/Emirates etc are making a big deal of getting something others have taken for granted for years. Odd.

[manintheback]

My success rate with Virgin IFE has been 50% - oddly always the outbound is the broken one.

[steve78]

To be quit honest, i have to admit that yes EK has the most advanced IFE in the skies. And Honstly, flying so much as i do and experiencing so many airlines, i have to admit that no other airline offers anything close to what EK does.
However, in all new things there will be problems. And then its all up to the cabin crew to rectify it.
Unfortunatly, the crew are not treated well at all. I have the honnor to say i know a few crew with ek. And i say the honnor coz these people are heros with the guts they have to still be there. Apart from being treated less then human by the number of undereducated passengers they carry, they are treated like 3 year olds by their management. No wonder Emirates will never have a union. They will en up on strike 24/7 for a few months.

[TightSlot]

Cynics among us might label the last post as excessively dramatic: Personally I'd label it as lousy spelling and grammar.

Whether english is your first language or not, please use it without the Nokia text speak variations - it makes it very hard to read for the old folk!
:E

[reynoldsno1]

the service on the DXB-SIN leg was canteen-style
Travelled on this flight as well - I think it originates somewhere else (Turkey/Russia?). Pretty worn out B777 - take a book, and eat at either end...