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TBT: In-flight entertainment – from Projectors to iPads

The evolution of in-flight entertainment at 10,000 metres in the air has seen us move from silent B&W movies projected on a screen to streaming movies on our Wi-Fi compatible mobile devices.

The evolution of in-flight entertainment at 10,000 metres in the air has seen us move from silent B&W movies projected on a screen to streaming movies on our Wi-Fi compatible mobile devices.

In between these two monumental moments in in-flight entertainment history we saw the introduction of the communal TV screen in airplane aisles and the in-flight movie. Depending on what seat you held, and your taste of movies, you’d either sit back and enjoy the film or order another three wines.

This was then followed with the personalised entertainment system fitted on the back of airplane seats (FYI: they weren’t as big as the one’s Emirates will use in their next generation in-flight entertainment (IFE) system).

This new piece of tech now allows passengers to choose their own poison: will it be an another episode of Friends, a National Geographic documentary on the migratory movements of birds, or the latest Hollywood blockbuster?

Speaking of Hollywood blockbusters, did you know that Imperial Airways (which later merged into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) in 1939, which in turn merged with the British European Airways Corporation in 1974 to form British Airways) screened the first blockbuster – The Lost World, a silent movie by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – over 90 years ago on 6 April 1925?

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The projector literally had to be loaded onto the flight at Croydon Airport, and reports from the air were that the passengers thoroughly enjoyed the film.

Check out a video of the landmark moment here.

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Not long after Imperial Airways’ foray into blockbusters in the skies, other airlines soon followed suit, literally launching their own in-flight cinema experience.

But let’s not forget about the humble radio.

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In 1931, passengers were able to tune into live radio broadcasts happening on the ground. Just because they had a flight to catch didn’t mean they had to miss out!

A decade later, in 1941, in-flight entertainment in the form of live music and singing became a thing. During that year, passengers onboard a Navy cargo plane were wined, dined, and treated to an appearance by Hollywood star Veronica Lake during a three-hour flight around New York – all in the name of publicity.

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But it’s been said that the true birth of in-flight entertainment began in the 1960s – and we agree.

In 1961, Trans World Airlines was the first airline in the world to implement a new type of in-flight entertainment technology that was lightweight, compact, automatic – and met FAA approval – in its fleet of planes.

The result was the first movie screening on a normal scheduled flight: By Love Possessed, a heady drama featuring unrequited love and suicide, was the first movie ever shown.

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Then, in 1971, it became possible to show multiple films or programmes during a flight thanks to the arrival of the 8mm film cassette.

Flight attendants, dressed in their sexy vintage uniforms, were now able to change these tapes during a flight instead of having to load a bulky film at the beginning of every flight. Bring on the movie marathon!

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And gamers had their needs met in the 70s when Braniff Airlines (which ceased operations seven years later) became the first airline in the world to offer in-flight video games. Passengers were now able to pass the time in the air playing Pong!

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Finally, in 1982, the first on-board map, Airshow, was installed on planes, allowing passengers to track their flight. The feature remains popular today.

Twenty years on, we’re now able to bring our own entertainment devices onboard, streaming the latest Hollywood blockbusters from our smartphones, iPads and computers while flying through the clouds.

And the future looks pretty exciting too, with VR headsets and 26-inch touchscreen entertainment screens on the back of seats currently in development – we can’t wait!

*Check out these vintage airline ads for a taste of what the Golden Age of Travel was like back in the day!

What do you think the future holds for in-flight entertainment?