Air New Zealand offers IFE on the ground

An airline has decided to keep it's entertainment system running, even while it is on the ground. Air New Zealand passengers flying to and from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, Hong Kong or Auckland on 747 and 777 aircraft will be the first to use a new service which allows access to the in-flight entertainment system from boarding until landing. Previously the entertainment system could not be turned on until the aircraft was airborne and was turned off again when cabin crew prepared to land.

Air New Zealand's short haul fleet of Boeing 767 and A320 aircraft will also be fitted with new on-demand touch screen entertainment providing the same boarding to landing entertainment facilities. All Air New Zealand's international short and long-haul aircraft will have personal seat-back entertainment by December.

Departure and arrival procedures have been reworked to accommodate safety briefings and in-flight announcements, which pause the entertainment system, as well as other operational requirements. They can also watch TV when the aircraft is waiting for air traffic control clearance to land in the descent, when passengers would not previously have had access to the entertainment system.