How much do airlines pay for movies?

dbaker · 03-08-2002, 11:17 AM

Does anyone know how much airlines pay to show movies on flights? Does it depends on aircraft size, load, etc? Or do they buy a fleet-wide license for x number of days?

I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has noticed the post-9/11 cost cutting measure of showing old or terrible movies as opposed to almost-new releases and films between theater and DVD.

I first noticed it on a Delta transcon roundtrip when I saw "Remember the Titans" (two years old) on the outbound and some similarly-old Woody Allen film on the way back.

Maybe Continental is just really cheap or they know something about the traveling public that I don't, but . . . "Giltter"? The story of Mariah Carey's life? Oh my god.

What happened to "Traffic" and films that were actually fun to watch and helped pass the time rather than making it more miserable?

dbaker · 03-08-2002, 11:17 AM

Does anyone know how much airlines pay to show movies on flights? Does it depends on aircraft size, load, etc? Or do they buy a fleet-wide license for x number of days?

I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has noticed the post-9/11 cost cutting measure of showing old or terrible movies as opposed to almost-new releases and films between theater and DVD.

I first noticed it on a Delta transcon roundtrip when I saw "Remember the Titans" (two years old) on the outbound and some similarly-old Woody Allen film on the way back.

Maybe Continental is just really cheap or they know something about the traveling public that I don't, but . . . "Giltter"? The story of Mariah Carey's life? Oh my god.

What happened to "Traffic" and films that were actually fun to watch and helped pass the time rather than making it more miserable?

phule · 03-08-2002, 12:47 PM

You don't bring your own movies?

phule · 03-08-2002, 12:47 PM

You don't bring your own movies?

dbaker · 04-09-2002, 02:29 AM

http://www.ityt.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=476

dbaker · 04-09-2002, 02:29 AM

http://www.ityt.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=476

TravelinRandy · 04-15-2002, 08:43 AM

The American consumer has resoundingly voted for low price over amenities in the air. Each of us, myself included, search and search for the lowest fare. Then, having purchased fares that could not sustain meaningful profits to an airline, we complain about the food and the entertainment.

You get what you pay for, and all of us are choosing to pay as little as possible for getting us from Point A to Point B.

I realize this situation is a little more complicated than; airline profitability (I mean the lack thereof) has a lot to do with management's obsession with market share, with overpaid pilots, and many other factors. But, clearly, as consumers we have acted through our price-sensitivity to reduce the quality of inflight food and entertainment.

I'm sorry that I've pontificated without answering dbaker's original, very interesting question. It would be nice to know. If it's a small amount, then we should have low fares AND good movies....

Maybe we could start a forum on rating movie quality by airline....

TravelinRandy · 04-15-2002, 08:43 AM

The American consumer has resoundingly voted for low price over amenities in the air. Each of us, myself included, search and search for the lowest fare. Then, having purchased fares that could not sustain meaningful profits to an airline, we complain about the food and the entertainment.

You get what you pay for, and all of us are choosing to pay as little as possible for getting us from Point A to Point B.

I realize this situation is a little more complicated than; airline profitability (I mean the lack thereof) has a lot to do with management's obsession with market share, with overpaid pilots, and many other factors. But, clearly, as consumers we have acted through our price-sensitivity to reduce the quality of inflight food and entertainment.

I'm sorry that I've pontificated without answering dbaker's original, very interesting question. It would be nice to know. If it's a small amount, then we should have low fares AND good movies....

Maybe we could start a forum on rating movie quality by airline....

businesstraveler · 04-17-2002, 02:21 PM

I don't know about cost (although I suspect airplanes are probably treated like movie theatre's as far as the industry is concerned).

As to Delta, their web site In-Flight Entertainment section lists movies showing. For May, they are showing (depending on where you are flying):

Life as a House
Gosford Park
Hart's War
A Beautiful Mind
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

among others. These seem pretty recent.

Here's a link to the complete list for May (hopefully, this link will work):

http://www.delta.com/travel/during_f...s_nm/index.jsp

One other note: if you are interested in the technology behind the in-flight entertainment systems used in planes (including new systems in development), check out this web site:

http://www.airfax.com

businesstraveler · 04-17-2002, 02:21 PM

I don't know about cost (although I suspect airplanes are probably treated like movie theatre's as far as the industry is concerned).

As to Delta, their web site In-Flight Entertainment section lists movies showing. For May, they are showing (depending on where you are flying):

Life as a House
Gosford Park
Hart's War
A Beautiful Mind
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

among others. These seem pretty recent.

Here's a link to the complete list for May (hopefully, this link will work):

http://www.delta.com/travel/during_f...s_nm/index.jsp

One other note: if you are interested in the technology behind the in-flight entertainment systems used in planes (including new systems in development), check out this web site:

http://www.airfax.com

03-08-2002, 11:17 AM	#1
dbaker Senior Member ITYT Captain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IAH/HOU Posts: 2,354	How much do airlines pay for movies? Does anyone know how much airlines pay to show movies on flights? Does it depends on aircraft size, load, etc? Or do they buy a fleet-wide license for x number of days? I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has noticed the post-9/11 cost cutting measure of showing old or terrible movies as opposed to almost-new releases and films between theater and DVD. I first noticed it on a Delta transcon roundtrip when I saw "Remember the Titans" (two years old) on the outbound and some similarly-old Woody Allen film on the way back. Maybe Continental is just really cheap or they know something about the traveling public that I don't, but . . . "Giltter"? The story of Mariah Carey's life? Oh my god. What happened to "Traffic" and films that were actually fun to watch and helped pass the time rather than making it more miserable? __________________

03-08-2002, 11:17 AM	#2
dbaker Senior Member ITYT Captain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IAH/HOU Posts: 2,354	How much do airlines pay for movies? Does anyone know how much airlines pay to show movies on flights? Does it depends on aircraft size, load, etc? Or do they buy a fleet-wide license for x number of days? I'm sure that I'm not the only one that has noticed the post-9/11 cost cutting measure of showing old or terrible movies as opposed to almost-new releases and films between theater and DVD. I first noticed it on a Delta transcon roundtrip when I saw "Remember the Titans" (two years old) on the outbound and some similarly-old Woody Allen film on the way back. Maybe Continental is just really cheap or they know something about the traveling public that I don't, but . . . "Giltter"? The story of Mariah Carey's life? Oh my god. What happened to "Traffic" and films that were actually fun to watch and helped pass the time rather than making it more miserable? __________________

04-15-2002, 08:43 AM	#7
TravelinRandy Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: jfk Posts: 2	comforts in the air The American consumer has resoundingly voted for low price over amenities in the air. Each of us, myself included, search and search for the lowest fare. Then, having purchased fares that could not sustain meaningful profits to an airline, we complain about the food and the entertainment. You get what you pay for, and all of us are choosing to pay as little as possible for getting us from Point A to Point B. I realize this situation is a little more complicated than; airline profitability (I mean the lack thereof) has a lot to do with management's obsession with market share, with overpaid pilots, and many other factors. But, clearly, as consumers we have acted through our price-sensitivity to reduce the quality of inflight food and entertainment. I'm sorry that I've pontificated without answering dbaker's original, very interesting question. It would be nice to know. If it's a small amount, then we should have low fares AND good movies.... Maybe we could start a forum on rating movie quality by airline....

04-15-2002, 08:43 AM	#8
TravelinRandy Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: jfk Posts: 2	comforts in the air The American consumer has resoundingly voted for low price over amenities in the air. Each of us, myself included, search and search for the lowest fare. Then, having purchased fares that could not sustain meaningful profits to an airline, we complain about the food and the entertainment. You get what you pay for, and all of us are choosing to pay as little as possible for getting us from Point A to Point B. I realize this situation is a little more complicated than; airline profitability (I mean the lack thereof) has a lot to do with management's obsession with market share, with overpaid pilots, and many other factors. But, clearly, as consumers we have acted through our price-sensitivity to reduce the quality of inflight food and entertainment. I'm sorry that I've pontificated without answering dbaker's original, very interesting question. It would be nice to know. If it's a small amount, then we should have low fares AND good movies.... Maybe we could start a forum on rating movie quality by airline....

04-17-2002, 02:21 PM	#9
businesstraveler Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: BOS Posts: 57	Were all the films old? I don't know about cost (although I suspect airplanes are probably treated like movie theatre's as far as the industry is concerned). As to Delta, their web site In-Flight Entertainment section lists movies showing. For May, they are showing (depending on where you are flying): Life as a House Gosford Park Hart's War A Beautiful Mind Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone among others. These seem pretty recent. Here's a link to the complete list for May (hopefully, this link will work): http://www.delta.com/travel/during_f...s_nm/index.jsp One other note: if you are interested in the technology behind the in-flight entertainment systems used in planes (including new systems in development), check out this web site: http://www.airfax.com

03-08-2002, 12:47 PM	#3
phule Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: ORD Posts: 188	You don't bring your own movies?

04-09-2002, 02:29 AM	#5
dbaker Senior Member ITYT Captain Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IAH/HOU Posts: 2,354	http://www.ityt.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=476

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