Qantas passengers will have more choice and variety on their inflight entertainment screens from next week as the airline kicks off what it dubs a “comprehensive transformation” of its inflight programming.
Travellers will enjoy a new wave of news, sport, entertainment and lifestyle programs supplied by Sky News, Foxtel and Fox Sports to seatback screens and beamed over the Q Streaming wireless inflight entertainment service.
Qantas Group Executive Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Olivia Wirth said the new channels will include "multiple daily news updates seven days a week, 100 hours more TV and movie content, 160 hours of box set viewing, triple the number of new release albums and double the number of blockbusters.”
While Qantas passengers won’t be able to watch Foxtel broadcasts live on board – as was formerly the case with Live2Air on Virgin Australia – timely content such as news bulletins will be updated when aircraft are on the ground throughout the day.
The Red Roo's domestic and international lounges will also screen a new international Australian news service called 'Australia Channel' featuring news, sport and business updates.
Behind the scenes Qantas is also beavering away on a new tile-based menu system for its inflight entertainment which will be optimised for touchscreens such as those of the Qantas Business Suite.
Read: 10 things you didn't know about the new Qantas Business Suite
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Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
09 Apr 2014
Total posts 11
I was flying back from Dubai the other week right when the final Wallabies vs All Blacks game was on. I was sitting there wishing they could bring live major sporting events to the inflight entertainment like Etihad did with the World Cup. Live cricket would be soo good too. Great way to kill a long flight with a few beers.
Unfortunately this is not quite what I was after but I was asking a lot. Its going to be geat to have more options though!
22 Jul 2014
Total posts 7
Will we need inflight bouncers/security?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Unofrtunately this is domestic only, and its not live, just more regularly updated.
Over the summer, I do like the broadcast of ABC grandstand over the radio for the cricket.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Feb 2013
Total posts 44
Good - I flew back from Dallas a few weeks back on QF and offerings on the flight were quite limited.
04 Jan 2014
Total posts 40
I also flew to/from Dallas in October, on QF7/8 and thought the movies were very basic. Sure, they had some of the latest, but then the others and encore were ancient. These long haul flights (15.25 and 16.45 hours) need better in flight entertainment, especially so if you fly during the same month.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1205
Underwhelming to say the least. This is not live Foxtel like VA's old Live2Air system. It is just a different supplier of the taped items available on IFE. Chances are that apart from news, the items will barely rotate across a month.
I know Live2Air was problematic in weight and reliability but it was the closest we have gotten to the range and timeliness available on US domestic services. What is offered now by both QF and VA is pretty run-of-the-mill and this new announcement is not going to change that.
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