Why no IFE for take off and landing?

Why does VS and other UK airlines turn off the IFE for take off and landing? We have travelled with jetblue and Frontier in the US and the seat back live tv works from you get on the plane until you get off. I have noticed it is very good for nervous flyers as it distracts them. As much as I love VS they do turn the IFE off very early.

This is done for passenger safety reasons I think. If you need to act quickly, or respond to an instruction from the crew during take-off and/or landing, then you don't want to be engrossed in the latest blockbuster, and have to stuggle to get headphones etc off in an emergency.

I'm not sure if there are differences in procedure between UK and US airlines, but I'm sure someone here will have the info.

Its the distration thats the problem - they want you able to hear the cabin crew / flight deeck give urgent saftey instuctions (such as Brace Brace Brace ! )
This is why MP3 players are also verbotten.

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by JohnD
Its the distration thats the problem - they want you able to hear the cabin crew / flight deeck give urgent saftey instuctions (such as Brace Brace Brace ! )
This is why MP3 players are also verbotten.

I can see that, but would have thought that any announcement would also be broadcast over headphones as well as the PA.

Starting to make sense why United/TED allow mobiles while taxing but not iPods now.

Mat xxx

I can agree that SHORTLY before actually landing or during taxi and take-off (plus the 2 minute safety demo) pax should not be watching the video/playing games etc. HOWEVER, the reality is that the IFE is switched off WAY before landing and usually quite some time after take-off.

If a wing falls off at 10,000 feet it doesn't matter whether you're watch ing a film or asleep. I think this may all have a little more to do with getting the cabin cleared away quickly and the fact its easier and crucially quicker if pax aren't engrossed in their video screen, rather than genuine safety. If it's all to do with just safety, then pax should not be allowed to sleep for the last 30 minutes of the flight either...[}:)]

If they're all so worried about safety, then give us all smoke hoods, increase the seat pitch and the aisle width too.[:p]

Emirates switch off the IFE but let you watch the take-off/landing on their 777's via onboard camera's, why don't VS try this????? Stuff the money, we want the best service out there, if Emirates are affording to use the technology, why not VS???!?!??!!?!?

I understand the safety element to getting peoples concentration, but turning the IFE off before you get to Bristol on a States - UK flight takes the mickey a little!!!! Seems to be getting earlier and earlier in my opinion, as soon as breakfast is out of the way you are dun for! You can sit in the stack for 30 mins at some times of the day.....

I've noticed with Nova and Odyssey that you can swtich the skymap back on when they remotely switch it off, and watch the approach all the way in. Not sure if it works on Vport, as i've only had that pleasure once .

We as crew are required to make sure the cabin is secure for take off/landing.
This means collecting in headsets b4 top of decent which is normally 30 mins b4 landing time. We have to pass on cabin secure to the flight deck b4 they can land.
However at this point the flight deck may or may not be given a hold slot, but the cabin must be secured at this point in case we go straight in.
You can imagine after a long flight it can take some time to secure a full aircraft cabin!! The only way to get headsets from people is to turn the system off, and you have to do this for the whole cabin you cannot select individual cabins.
As for take off we are not meant to give headsets out until after take off, basically its one less obstruction in an evacuation.
For safety the FSM/CSS must switch off the power to the IFE for take off and landind, I think this is a CAA regulation, so foreign carriers are regulated differently.
Hope this explains why we do this now!!

[fozzyo]

Thanks for that vscss.

So you guys have to secure the cabin before the flight deck request landing. Explains why some times its only a short time its off and others it seems like forever.

Mat xxx

I don't think you can switch V:Port's skymap back on. I have done it on one of the earlier IFE systems, and have tried with V:Port to no avail.

BTW - headsets are already distributed in upper prior to boarding - presumably this is down to there being more space around the seats.

Originally posted by tallprawn
Emirates switch off the IFE but let you watch the take-off/landing on their 777's via onboard camera's, why don't VS try this????? Stuff the money, we want the best service out there, if Emirates are affording to use the technology, why not VS???!?!??!!?!?

Well for start its only the a340-600 that have the cameras in the VS fleet (the 744 and the 343 don't).

Secondly the cameras on the 346 are for the captain and his crew to see whats around the aircraft when taxing to the gate and to see whats around the gate at push back. It can also be used to check and see of there is any damage to the under carraige of the aircaft or if there is an engine fire.

Thirdly, VS don't have all the oil dollar dollar that EK have to hook up the onboard camera's to the IFE.

Thanks vscss for the info, I think we all understand the issue about securing the cabin and ensuring passengers are safely seated and belted. I'm guessing the guidelines or rules or processes between the UK and the US are different however - in my experience Virgin turn systems off and flight crew take their seats way before American carriers who sometimes sit down and finish up a mere five mins or so before landing. Sort of indicates that they do this when a landing slot is confirmed and not merely 'draft'.

I don't want to stir up but I do share the view of others in that it must be possible to switch off the IFE and in particular sky map a long time after Virgin do it.

Originally posted by vscss
Hope this explains why we do this now!!

Yes but it doesn't explain why you have to watch 20 minutes of a day old news bulletin first. Why is that ?

The daily news tape is a contracted deal with Sky News.
Has anyone ever thought of contacting VS directly if you don't like this being shown. Never has any of my pax complained to me about this in nearly 10 years of flying!!

Personally speaking I am in 2 minds about the news. Sometimes I like to see it, sometimes not. Most of the time it is neither here nor there.
Your question is quite correct. While I am sure VS read these pages, if you have a strong view on something then a well argued letter/e-mail has to be the best way forward - After all VS do not have crystal balls!

[buns]

vcss

Thanks for giving us the low down on the procedures[y][y]

For those of us who fly from/into Gatwick we most probably watched all there is on the IFE anyway;)[}:)];)

[Nottingham Nick]

I must admit that I used to look forward to Sky News after a trip to the States. Even though it was a day old, it gave me a chance to catch up on what was happening back home.

VS then changed to BBC World news, the bulletin that seemed to specialise in the most obscure stories from places that I wasn't even sure I could point to on a globe. [:I]

Sky News is back now but, in these days of streaming BBC news on the internet, I would question its value. It has been suggested here before, when we have talked about the same thing, that it be assigned a channel of its own on VPort. I think this is a good suggestion, especially if it was coupled with a digest of news from recent sports events in the UK and Europe [8D]

Nick

Originally posted by vscss
The daily news tape is a contracted deal with Sky News.
Has anyone ever thought of contacting VS directly if you don't like this being shown. Never has any of my pax complained to me about this in nearly 10 years of flying!!

Ah, you've probably never flown with me, or it was a day when I had other things on my mind, or was feeling especially passive .

I've mentioned this at least once in a letter to VS Customer Services (though I haven't mourned the passing of the red blobs with them yet).

Most of the gate areas in the main airports VS serves now have TVs belting out Sky News or CNN or something, or they have been sat reading the paper while waiting, so people are already newsed-up when they get on the plane!

The bit with SRB wringing his hands is a bit cringeworthy too, especially when your flight is late.

Just let us at the films .

Mike

I quite enjoy the Sky News tape at the start of a flight, particulary on the way home. A quick way of catching up on UK news. The IFE on landing has always been fairly random for me, often its swtiched off really early, othertimes its left on so you can watch the skymap.
Normally though once the plane is nearing touchdown I'm always too busy looking out of the window. Even after all these years I never get bored of seeing Reading, for example from 8000 feet....

Dean

Originally posted by Wolves27
Even after all these years I never get bored of seeing Reading, for example from 8000 feet....
Dean

Eeek, I'm not alone [:0][:0]