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View Full Version : What Genius thought it would be a good idea to use touch-screens in headrests


jethrobee
31st Aug 2008, 20:05
I have to ask, having just endured a SIN-LHR flight in BA economy with a child seated behind me hitting me in the back of the head for the best part of 12 hours.

Who thought that the introduction of these would be a good plan, I saw at least two heated arguments in the cabin down the back.

Please cant you change the system to use the arm-rest controls?

gdiphil
31st Aug 2008, 21:01
I came across these for first time this year. First in May on Air Canada, 767 Toronto to LHR and then again only the week before last on Thomsonfly, 767, LGW to Palma and back. Both those airlines are now off my list due to these screens. I am a strange individual, I sleep better in an economy seat than in business or first class but to have some person tapping on my headrest, particularly and understandably an excited child playing a game is beyond the pale and prevents any kind of rest. BA has been off my list for longhaul for about 6 years due to rotten service and terrible seats. Now you tell me there is a further reason not to contemplate them. I am really not surprised that tempers flared. Obviously the clown that agreed to them never flies in Y.

Could we have some naming and shaming on here so that we know which airlines to avoid please?

raffele
31st Aug 2008, 21:52
BA's IFE has the touchscreens fitted as well as arm-mounted controls I think on the aircraft with the 18 channel IFE (747s then).

You could have asked the child if it didn't mind using the handset instead...

jethrobee
3rd Sep 2008, 14:31
I did ask him to take it easy with the screen, however was told by his loving father that he had paid for the seat just like I have.

Hey ho, guess i'll just have to stick at the front end of the plane!!!!

747boy
3rd Sep 2008, 14:35
or the last row in economy. No one behind you.

Basil
3rd Sep 2008, 15:32
We flew BA economy back from JFK a couple of days ago and noted this problem. I took care to support the screen or press gently but can imagine the irritation engendered by vigorous prodding. (hold the jokes please).

More of a problem was the large teenager behind who couldn't keep his knees out of my back and the pig next to my wife who made his disappointment at having the empty seat next to him occupied at STD -15 very clear.

Crew were very good, though. :p

UniFoxOs
3rd Sep 2008, 15:50
I did ask him to take it easy with the screen, however was told by his loving father that he had paid for the seat just like I have.

Swap seats with the pax behind the Father - see how he likes it!!!

UFO

apaddyinuk
3rd Sep 2008, 17:33
Yeah I remember when BA first introduced it there were a few problems. I just ask the passengers to use the arm rest controls instead, the screen can be controlled by using the directional arrows and enter button. If you dont have success asking the nobby behind you then just ask one of the crew descretly, we are good at sorting things like that out...especially with kids!

The thing that bugs me is that the touch screen is rather sensitive and doesnt respond well to being constantly banged by the person using it, generally it only needs a light touch to get what you want. If it needs a firm pressing of the screen then it usually just means the screen needs cleaning and the crew have access to alcoholic wipes for this!

FormerFlyer
4th Sep 2008, 16:49
I suffered exactly the same on an AIH A330 LGW-CUN many moons ago....except that it was a fool of a fully grown adult poke, pokity poke poke poke all the frikkin way to Mexico.

In fact I recall he'd poked so much before we'd even pushed back that I knew the following 11 hours or so were not going to be in the slightest bit pleasant - how right I was :ugh: Never flown them since :D

cheers ;)
FF

gdiphil
4th Sep 2008, 18:39
FormerFlyer

Thanks for taking up my suggestion of naming a shaming, but what airline is AIH? Clearly I want to avoid them too.

apaddyinuk
5th Sep 2008, 16:15
Sadly I fear that touch screens are becoming a norm!!! All well and good to name and shame but soon enough you will find that you wont be able to get very far! LOL!

Moira
5th Sep 2008, 17:34
AIH = Airtours International Airways

gdiphil
5th Sep 2008, 17:53
apaddyinuk - LOL indeed. I find myself despairing at times but laughing at myself for putting myself in the position of travelling by air in Y these day. Just think about the changes I've seen since 1962 when I first started flying as SLF. First the introduction of computers to check people in. In 1978 I remember being asked to checkin one hour before takeoff. Never missed a flight, checkin was quick, very quick indeed. Then along came entertainment in the form of screens at the end of the cabin. Now cabin crew started demanding the blinds down so we can't see the view. Then intensive security causing delays, stress, rudeness on the part of everyone. Then the reduction of seat pitch from a sensible 34" to 31" or less on mainline carriers. To help with the discomfort of passengers on demand entertainment with boxes at one's feet. Now we have touch screens to annoy the person in front. Not long before mobiles going off as standard. A superb, easy, comfortable and fascinating way to travel ruined systematically over the years. I can only hope someone will charge passengers for everything as UA seems to be going. With a bit of luck everyone will be charged money for the use of the entertainment system and people will wise up and not pay it. Then hopefully airlines will remove the lot as not being cost effective and we can have some old fashioned conversation with our neighbours, the blinds up, and some legroom under the seat in front.

As for fewer places to get to I have to disagree. I have discovered the delights of seatravel over the past four years. It is truely wonderful, hassle free with friendly people everywhere. And what is more the boats go all over the world.

Ah well, whinge over, off to Bogota in Y travelling with AA. I wonder what they will do to me........?

Moira - Thank you for the information.

BOFH
6th Sep 2008, 21:40
Given the woe it causes, isn't disabling it a good idea?

This concept might also be applied to the worthless nincompoop who came up with the idea.

BOFH

onboard
7th Sep 2008, 10:33
When the screens were finally installed at my airline, we had both versions (touch screen and remote controlled) for evaluation.
A questionnaire was handed out, and the majority of our passengers preferred the touch screens. The questionnaires were not sealed by the way, so we were able to read a few, and that was what the general opinion was.
I'm not saying that was what decided it, but I can tell you, our passengers were at least involved. :)

BOFH
7th Sep 2008, 19:27
onboard

Danke.

However, to what extent did the questionnaire take into account the minor inconvenience of having the back of one's head probed?

Why would anyone with a reasonable flow of blood to his brain come up with the concept not only of having your back kicked every now and again, but the back of your head being used like a remote control of someone with ADD?

BOFH

onboard
7th Sep 2008, 20:22
I know, I know. And I understand exactly what you mean. I have spent a fair amount of time talking to the "pokers", explaining that just touching the screen lightly does the trick.
I don`t remember the exact phrasing of course, but passengers were asked in what way the screens were practical or impractical, and at least in the ones I saw, the point didn't come up.
Most felt that the touchscreen was more intuitive. Whatever.:bored:

Al Fakhem
8th Sep 2008, 13:19
On some airlines (notably LX), these screens are quite useless when the pax in front goes to full recline. You can't adjust the screen to show anything but a ghost picture.

Two-Tone-Blue
9th Sep 2008, 14:49
On some airlines (notably LX), these screens are quite useless when the pax in front goes to full recline. You can't adjust the screen to show anything but a ghost picture.

Had that in VS PE the last time I had to use them ... as a 6 footer I just managed to slide down the seat and bend my neck enough to see a picture.

Who was the "engineering" dimweed who didn't put enough angle of dangle in the hinges of those things? Was it actually thought through? Eight hours or more stuck in a tube is bad enough without additional aggravation.

Air Rage ... that's me! Especially now it's also non-smoking for a virtually a day before you land at your destination!

Atlantean1963
9th Sep 2008, 15:12
Two-Tone-Blue,

I understand! At 6' 2" I have had exactly the same problem on VS PE. Best seats are at the front of the PE cabin where the IFE screen folds out of the armrest...

Still, could be worse... I could be a smoker...:hmm:

Best Regards,

Atlantean.

the flying scot
9th Sep 2008, 19:47
Touch screens are a great concept, but they never seem to work properly anyway! I travel regularily with 3 kids under 8. I make sure that they don't fiddle with the screens or kick the seat in front (well, at least more than once!). We got split up recently on a long haul flight and my 7 year old had to sit between 2 guys in economy. Cabin crew member was worried as they shouldn't sit a child next to a guy (airlines obviously think we are all like Mr Glitter...). My son insisted he stayed where he was. Both guys couldn't believe how well behaved he was for the entire 10 hour flight. Just sat quietly, ate his meal, said thank you and watched a couple of kids films (I hope). It's all in the parenting. It might seem over the top, but there's plenty of time to be a 'kid' when they are at home.

Shame the kid banging your seat wasn't sat behind my kids. It would have looked great having my 3 year old turn round and tell them to sit still and behave....

NWT
10th Sep 2008, 14:13
Airlines have found over the years that the handset controls are not very reliable, have a habit of being ripped out of the seat etc etc. touch screens apeared to be the answer, but are showing a new set of problems allready identified here, ie annoying the pax in front, not enough angle on them when reclining the seat, etc etc.

Best thing is vote with your feet.!

For info I have seen these screens on Jet airways, VS

gdiphil
16th Sep 2008, 21:13
As I said in an earlier post I reckon we should name and shame: well I've just done a return LHR to Bogota via Miami on AA. The 777 each way across the atlantic had touch screens, terrible visually but I was not bothered by the guy behind me each way. The A300 Miami to Bogota and back had screens on the ceiling. Since the entertainment was ignorable anyway I do wonder why they bother with all this. So, AA off my list now as well. Boy was the seating tight, BA and AA are match made in heaven!

m500dpp
17th Sep 2008, 13:46
agree touch screens are daft, as are reclining seats. You cant recline them enough to make it comfortable enough to sleep, but you can recline then enough to cramp the poor guy behind, unless he reclines his etc. just lock them in the upright position and disable the touch screens.

Oh and my biggest disappointment was that the onboard camera didnt work on the TCX flights, would have been good to see the approach, and means its not so important to get a window seat!

Passagiata
21st Sep 2008, 12:15
Airlines should develop policies on this. Passengers taking urchins on board should be informed that flight crew will ask them to modify their kids' behaviour if a full-paying passenger is reasonably inconvenienced.

In any case, under current airline policies are crew entitled to intervene in any way if parents aren't controlling horrid children?

manintheback
21st Sep 2008, 21:21
Modifying kids behaviour?

Has there been an incident of an under 16 causing a flight to be diverted with said sprog being detained and offloaded?. CC have more pressing problems with the odd behavioral failure from the odd cerebrally challenged adult or two.

PaperTiger
23rd Sep 2008, 17:16
As noted, Air Canada has these abominations in their 'refurbished' (hah !) 767s. In addition to the potential nuisance of continual cranial prodding, I noticed while adjusting the angle that the top (and bottom) of the screen was very warm, I'd almost call it hot. Anent SR111, is this really a Good Thing ?:eek:

Oh yes, they have the mood lighting as well. Includes a bilious green shade which was used for the meal service :confused: . Still no doubt the pencil pushers who never ride the damn things are pleased about it.

And another thing, why doesn't the moving map ('Airshow') work any more ? Only thing worth watching.