Norwegian Air Discussion

JCX BXC

When turned off mine struggles with 15 hours

billie1b

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Powered by plutonium?

Have to agree, my iPad has lasted me from 100% on a DUB-LHR-LAS flight, landed in LAS with 30% battery. Never even looked at the IFE on the aircrafts. Very often bring it on short hall (2-3 hours) with 30% battery or so and can watch a full film and some music, then after landing using it as my GPS for the hired car.

bk

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

JCX BXC wrote: »

When turned off mine struggles with 15 hours

Jeez, lads get an iPad so, you won't know yourselves. Easily 12 to 15 hours.

And no need for plutonium, just 11,500mah battery and an efficient operating system.

BTW if AerLingus was bothered to give you a USB power socket, it wouldn't be a problem. Hell even the coaches to Cork have USB sockets (Aircoach) and even the next order of Dublin Bus buses is getting them!

JCX BXC BTW It mustn't really be turned off so. Most be in "standby" with probably lots of apps running so in the background. My iPad barely loses 10% when in standby for a few weeks!

JCX BXC

It was kind of a tounge in cheek comment.

And I'd also suggest that many people don't actually have iPads, I don't know why there's such a big idea here that IFE is completely unnecessary and isn't needed.

marno21

In fairness I'd expect AA to have a better IFE than EI considering the differences in scale, but that's not much of an excuse all the same.

One thing Norwegian Air Shuttle will do is keep EI on their toes, so it'll be some sort of an incentive to keep getting better. Once it's not part of a wider race to the bottom that is.

Noxegon

bk wrote: »

- Every time the flight crew cuts into the movie you are watching, their audio is WAY louder and almost deafening! On my last flight, every time they made an announcement, everyone around me was yanking their headphones off and grimacing.

Oh gosh, yes. I remember pressing the call button to complain about that... nobody actually came to the seat in the subsequent half hour.

I have to say, EI's international service is WAY overrated by people here in Ireland. It really is very tired at this stage. They badly need to get the A350's soon to modernise. I hope they have a newer, much better IFE.

This. I fly Emirates every few weeks and there really is no comparison.

Graham

bk wrote: »

They badly need to get the A350's soon to modernise. I hope they have a newer, much better IFE.

That's like suggesting someone buy a new car to update the CD player.

Isn't the EI long haul fleet rather young by all accounts? (Shannon wet lease aircraft excepted perhaps)

JCX BXC

Graham wrote: »

That's like suggesting someone buy a new car to update the CD player.

Isn't the EI long haul fleet rather young by all accounts? (Shannon wet lease aircraft excepted perhaps)

Wouldn't call them the Shannon wet lease, considering that there's always either the same amount or more of leased EI 757's operating from Dublin

Impetus

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Just a FYI on the €69-€119 fares (one way(, there was just around 1,950 available yesterday split between ROI airports based on capacity for travel over 8 months:
DUB - 58.9%
SNN - 24.6%
ORK - 16.4%

The ISO codes for Ireland are IRL and IE not RoI - which implies Northern Ireland is a country of equal stature. The Americans can't get it right either with their use if EI instead of the ISO code IE.

Anglo-Saxon country code racism! Or perhaps Anglos are dyslexic. The average anglo certainly has a brain problem with geography. I remember parking a car at a hotel when I was about 18 y/o in Florida. This hotel worker comes up to me, and asked me (a newly arrived guest in the 'hotel') where south was - his job was to put a flag up at the south end of the car park. The evening sun was clearly showing where west was. So I had no problem in showing him where south was.

Not that Irish 'public servants' do not have a geographic location problem. They built Cork airport on a hill at 153m altitude. No railway station. A high probability of fog - until gov.ie was forced to install ILS CAT II. But the runway is still too short at 2'133m. Add 250m at either end - using a runway flyover the R600 if necessary. While the runway is short - it has unused landing capacity and a terminal that could handle lots more PAX and space to extend same. Unlike Dublin which is extremely congested on the runway and in terminals and on access routes.

The best location for Cork airport would be between Cork and Midleton. It is on the E30 and on the rail system. The climate is largely fog-free, dry and 1000% better than Cork airport.

The Cork airport site would be better for office parks and tower apartments with a massive view over the countryside and city.

The standard of public planning always has been and remains appalling in IRL.

One is still waiting for a public investigation into the siting decision for Cork airport and the people behind the purchase of the required land etc. I am not holding my breath. Corruption etc...

bk

JCX BXC wrote: »

And I'd also suggest that many people don't actually have iPads, I don't know why there's such a big idea here that IFE is completely unnecessary and isn't needed.

While I wouldn't say IFE is completely unnecessary, it is certainly way less necessary then in the past. Almost everyone has a tablet or laptop or smartphone these days that they can watch, read books, play games, listen to music on.

As long as you have power at the seats (for laptops and crappy smartphones mostly, tablets don't really need it) you can certainly make do quite well.

Having said that, using a good IFE like the AA one I got to use was a pleasure and I can certainly understand that a lot of people, even if they have a iPad, might not know how to offline movies on it or might forget to do it or not have the time to do it before boarding. So a good IFE is certainly nice to have.

I use my iPad on AL flights simply because I find their IFE to be very poor and I really don't want to damage my hearing with their stupid announcements!

Coming back to Norwegian. Obviously if there was only a €50 difference with EI, I'd take EI. But if there is a €200 difference I'd absolutely jump at it.

No IFE is no problem, I'll just bring my iPad. I'm happy to bring sandwiches and I almost always travel with carry on only anyway. I'd be delighted to save €200 on those amenities and spend the money on a nice meal out in a top restaurant in Manhattan when I get there, then crappy EI airline food and IFE!

Of course everyone is different and has different priorities on how they want to spend their money. Norwegian certainly wouldn't suit everyone, but competition and new choices is good.

There are lots of people out there who really don't care about the flying experience, they just want to get to their destination as cheaply as possible, forget about the flight and enjoy their holiday. As long as they understand the differences in service and trade offs, then it isn't a problem. Just like how most people understand how Ryanair works and are very happy to play their game for cheap flights. This is how Ryanair has become one of the largest airlines in the world, so their is definitely a large untapped market for this sort of transatlantic service IMO.

flexcon

Air Canada Rouge uses on board Wifi and their App to view content.

So before you take off you download Air Canada - connect top their Wifi and you use YOUR device to browse their content. You can rent out tablets from them for 10$ and that includes access to more content too.

No on board screens and outside access to the internet.

jjbrien

flexcon wrote: »

Air Canada Rouge uses on board Wifi and their App to view content.

So before you take off you download Air Canada - connect top their Wifi and you use YOUR device to browse their content. You can rent out tablets from them for 10$ and that includes access to more content too.

No on board screens and outside access to the internet.

If airlines would put a holder for a tablet where the IFE screen would go id be delighted. I dont like having to have my tray table down for the whole flight and when theres turbulence (which seems to happen on a lot of Aer Lingus flights) then the cabin crew ask you to put up the table. So a little shelve or something at eye level id love.

Agree Aer Lingus IFE is poor. However on my last flight in January operated by their newest A330 they had the new system with a usb port for a tablet. Their content was bad but the system worked fine.

flexcon

jjbrien wrote: »

If airlines would put a holder for a tablet where the IFE screen would go id be delighted. I dont like having to have my tray table down for the whole flight and when theres turbulence (which seems to happen on a lot of Aer Lingus flights) then the cabin crew ask you to put up the table. So a little shelve or something at eye level id love.

Agree Aer Lingus IFE is poor. However on my last flight in January operated by their newest A330 they had the new system with a usb port for a tablet. Their content was bad but the system worked fine.

Yeah, In the end I had to put my jumper on the table to lift the height up of my screen, otherwise my neck would be banjaxed!

jjbrien

flexcon wrote: »

Yeah, In the end I had to put my jumper on the table to lift the height up of my screen, otherwise my neck would be banjaxed!

Found my solution

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TabClips-for-mounting-tablet-and-smartphone-devices-to-Aircraft-tray-table-seats-/272630415876?hash=item3f7a0a0204:g:LcEAAOSwq19XCvEL

Captain_Crash

I cant find a link to a picture at the moment, but there is an airline (name escapes me) who's 737 have a holder for devices built into the seat back. Very clever and subtle.

EDIT: Its Monarch, here's a link: https://www.google.ie/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjVxcDd4MTTAhWJuhoKHSfTCmwQjxwIAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.planetalking.co.uk%2F2014%2F06%2Fmonarch-to-offer-seat-back-tablet-holders-but-will-they-take-off%2F&psig=AFQjCNHw4ynyH9RoeNpWBISQph8M49_3-A&ust=1493386447653076&cad=rjt

Locker10a

jjbrien wrote: »

flexcon wrote: »

Air Canada Rouge uses on board Wifi and their App to view content.

So before you take off you download Air Canada - connect top their Wifi and you use YOUR device to browse their content. You can rent out tablets from them for 10$ and that includes access to more content too.

No on board screens and outside access to the internet.

If airlines would put a holder for a tablet where the IFE screen would go id be delighted. I dont like having to have my tray table down for the whole flight and when theres turbulence (which seems to happen on a lot of Aer Lingus flights) then the cabin crew ask you to put up the table. So a little shelve or something at eye level id love.

Agree Aer Lingus IFE is poor. However on my last flight in January operated by their newest A330 they had the new system with a usb port for a tablet. Their content was bad but the system worked fine.

I found the aer lingus IFE fine for flights to the east coast, as these flights really aren't that long, however I agree that content needs improving and I think on longer west coast flights you could easily run out of decent things to watch. The last time I flee transatlantic was on the 757 and I found the IFE to function very well, I recall using a remote? And not the touch screen I think ?


Out of interest, why do you think turbulence occurs more often on Aer Lingus ? And why would they ask you to put up your tray table for this? I've never experienced this ever

bk

Locker10a wrote: »

I found the aer lingus IFE fine for flights to the east coast, as these flights really aren't that long, however I agree that content needs improving and I think on longer west coast flights you could easily run out of decent things to watch. The last time I flee transatlantic was on the 757 and I found the IFE to function very well, I recall using a remote? And not the touch screen I think ?

Yes, it isn't the end of the world to/from the East coast, due to the relatively short travel time. Though still one of the poorest IFE's I've ever used.

However is was definitely a complete pain flying DUB to SFO. It was very annoying that the plug socket didn't work, so I could only use my Macbook for a few hours. I was very glad I had also brought my iPad. I wouldn't have liked to be stuck with the IFE for all those hours.

Yes, the EI IFE's have a remote in the seats arm rest. Though on the way back the ok/select/enter button wasn't working on it and it took a lot of jabbing of the screen to get it to register the click instead! Poor passenger in front of me.

And then there is the whole big ugly box taking up valuable legroom under the seat thing.

To be honest, in this day and age of the power you can get from a £50 tablet, it is all pretty embarrassing.

On the upside, I read that new A350's coming to Qartar have shiny new IFE's. They are basically powerful Android tablets, with 256GB SSD's! Impressive. The whole unit is in the back of the seat, with no underseat box required. Nice. Hopefully we will see EI get similar systems on new aircraft and might even think about refitting.

john boye

jjbrien wrote: »

Found my solution

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TabClips-for-mounting-tablet-and-smartphone-devices-to-Aircraft-tray-table-seats-/272630415876?hash=item3f7a0a0204:g:LcEAAOSwq19XCvEL

Would cc let you use them?

ED E

Personally I just make sure I'm tired by boarding time and sleep the whole way. IFE means nada. Just me?

Tenger

IFE is always a subjective issue.
Some rely on it, some ignore it.
Airlines pay per movie. So digital content and physical system are 2 seperate items.
EI actually have the latest Panasonic EX3 IFE on their newest A333s, same system as Emirates. However its the content that varies between the two airlines. This is down to how much the airline is willing to spend.

Personally I think the future is onboard networks with downloadable/streamable content. The passengers will be bringing their own device anyway so why should the airline provide one in the seatback? (Not a particularly nice attitude but thats modern airlines for you)

Qantas did something like this with their B767s before they left the fleet. Instead of refitting them for 12 months, they installed a network. Each seat had an iPad (charged overnight) which allowed the passenger to access content from the onboard server. Great idea to use this aircraft as a trial.

Noxegon

Tenger wrote: »

IFE is always a subjective issue.
Some rely on it, some ignore it.
Airlines pay per movie. So digital content and physical system are 2 seperate items.
EI actually have the latest Panasonic EX3 IFE on their newest A333s, same system as Emirates. However its the content that varies between the two airlines. This is down to how much the airline is willing to spend.

So here's the question – for ease of calculation, lets assume Emirates has about 2000 movies and EI about 10. Are you saying Emirates pays two hundred times as much as EI to stock their IFE? That makes no sense to me.

Personally I think the future is onboard networks with downloadable/streamable content. The passengers will be bringing their own device anyway

Not on flights from certain airports! I wonder whether that laptop ban is going to spread...

john boye

Noxegon wrote: »

Not on flights from certain airports! I wonder whether that laptop ban is going to spread...

There was talk during the week of laptops/tablets etc being banned on UK - US flights next.

Rawr

Although IFE has never been an essential necessity for me (nothing beats a good old book while relaxing with a drink), I do like IFE systems which give me access to the flight's position. I don't know if it's just me but I do like having a sense of where I am in a flight.

When I traveled to China on a SAS A340, their IFE even had access to the external cameras, and I actually spent most of the time just 'looking outside'

Those features are what usually draw me to an IFE on any given flight.

When it comes to Norwegian's offereing, I do wonder what is planned for the cabin experience. Their current fleet of 737-800s feature a drop-down screen that is used for safety announcements and tend to run an IFE program for the flight's duration (usually travelogues / sitcoms or classic cartoons). That might do the job for a longer haul. But I do wonder if the planned 737-Max aircraft will have the same IFE setup, or in-seat IFE like they have in their 787s.

Captain_Crash

Noxegon wrote: »

So here's the question – for ease of calculation, lets assume Emirates has about 2000 movies and EI about 10. Are you saying Emirates pays two hundred times as much as EI to stock their IFE? That makes no sense to me.

Emirates also has a fleet of 250, so the their sheer scale would give them a better negotiating position when it comes to the cost of the license. So yes, they'll be paying more, but not 200 times more.

bk

Tenger wrote: »

Airlines pay per movie. So digital content and physical system are 2 seperate items.

Partly, though I also suspect, AL's older IFE's also have very limited storage space.

The latest Android based IFE's have a 256GB SSD in each "screen" and then 4 to 16TB of storage in the servers down back. Damn impressive.

Tenger wrote: »

EI actually have the latest Panasonic EX3 IFE on their newest A333s, same system as Emirates.

That is great. Can you tell me, have you experienced it and do they have the following:

- Back of the screen USB chargers?
- Back of the seat power plugs?
- Standard 3.5mm audio jack?
- Underseat box?

Just curios about the direction AL are going with this?

Tenger wrote: »

However its the content that varies between the two airlines. This is down to how much the airline is willing to spend.

Probably, not only was AL's selection small, but I also thought it was quiet poor, very much third tier movies or movies that were in the cinema months ago.

The combination of poor IFE (and the older aircraft) and bad selection of movies is why I don't really see their IFE being a big advantage over Norwegian having no IFE. Either way I'll be using my own iPad on either AL or NAS.

Tenger wrote: »

Personally I think the future is onboard networks with downloadable/streamable content. The passengers will be bringing their own device anyway so why should the airline provide one in the seatback? (Not a particularly nice attitude but thats modern airlines for you)

I think it is the future for short to medium haul. I think it can be a nice, easy addition, that potentially brings in more money for airlines that don't already have IFE's.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this option, along with wifi turn up on the Ryanair, Easyjet, etc. fleets.

I do think long haul and probably most medium haul will continue to have IFE's. One unspoken benefit of IFE's is that it keeps the passengers distracted and airlines with them find that people don't walk around as much or call for flight attendants assistance as much.

Tenger wrote: »

Qantas did something like this with their B767s before they left the fleet. Instead of refitting them for 12 months, they installed a network. Each seat had an iPad (charged overnight) which allowed the passenger to access content from the onboard server. Great idea to use this aircraft as a trial.

Yes, really smart, easy way to add a IFE to an existing plane. Note you can also outfit the iPads with lots of storage (up to 256GB now) and preload the most popular movies and shows. So most of the passengers won't actually be streaming from the servers over the wifi then. It keeps the burden on the wifi network down and improves reliability.

Note that it is also nice from the perspective that if one unit isn't working, it is very easy to swap it out for a working one. Something not possible on a traditional IFE.

jjbrien

bk wrote: »

That is great. Can you tell me, have you experienced it and do they have the following:

- Back of the screen USB chargers?
- Back of the seat power plugs?
- Standard 3.5mm audio jack?
- Underseat box?

Just curios about the direction AL are going with this?

I had the new system on DUB EWR in January
The screen had a usb charger however it didn't charge my phone very well. I noticed it would charge if i wasn't using it but would slowly drain when I was watching something using my phone. Yes had the standard 3.5mm audio jack and I didnt notice a box under the seat however i was on the aisle could have been under the misses's seat. No back of the seat plug im affraid still the one between the seats that is hard to reach. Prob was only 10 movies loaded on it. Some tv shows and there was a good selection of mp3's. Oh and the map worked only once then stopped working. The software they use is very poor on it.

bk

jjbrien wrote: »

I had the new system on DUB EWR in January
The screen had a usb charger however it didn't charge my phone very well. I noticed it would charge if i wasn't using it but would slowly drain when I was watching something using my phone. Yes had the standard 3.5mm audio jack and I didnt notice a box under the seat however i was on the aisle could have been under the misses's seat. No back of the seat plug im affraid still the one between the seats that is hard to reach. Prob was only 10 movies loaded on it. Some tv shows and there was a good selection of mp3's. Oh and the map worked only once then stopped working. The software they use is very poor on it.

So steps in the right direction, but still a bit disappointing.

Sounds like the USB charger is just the basic 500mA charger. By comparison an iPhone comes with a 1000mA charger (but can also use faster ones, like the iPad one) and the iPad charger is 2100mA.

500mA would be about enough to keep a phone from not losing more power, but would barely charge it when in use.

I actually read up about this a bit more, turns out that the IFE that I used on American was the same Panasonic IFE XE3 system that AL seem to be getting on their new aircraft. So that is good news, it is a very good system. My only complaint about it on AA is that it still had the under seat box, which seems unnecessary in this day and age.

However it still doesn't guarantee that AL will make good use of this nice new IFE. Sounds like it needs more power on the USB socket, ideally the plug in the back of the seat and a much better selection of movies. Otherwise, what is the point?

JCX BXC

Having a 500mAh USB socket is quite poor. Better than none I suppose. My phone uses a 4A plug, should be standard at this stage.

marno21

Norwegian Air Shuttle have started billboard advertising for their Shannon service in Newcastlewest, anyone spot any advertisting near Cork?

Advertising low fares to Boston/Providence.

kub

marno21 wrote: »

Norwegian Air Shuttle have started billboard advertising for their Shannon service in Newcastlewest, anyone spot any advertisting near Cork?

Advertising low fares to Boston/Providence.

Thank you for putting us back on track.

Yes there is bus shelter adverts for it in Cork city.