Embark on a colorful journey aboard the airlines offering the largest in-flight entertainment screens! Get ready for an unrivalled in-flight entertainment experience.
Airlines compete to offer their passengers the very best in-flight entertainmentwith extensive catalogs of films and series to make travel more enjoyable. But which airlines stand out for the size of the screens they offer on board? Here's a look at the leaders in this field.
The differences between IFE (In-Flight Entertainment) screens and home TVs
Airlines are constantly striving to offer an entertainment experience similar to the one we enjoy at home. However, the IFE screens are significantly different from home televisions. These screens must comply with strict safety regulations and be robust enough to avoid any risk of injury in the event of an accident.
What's more, the IFE software must support specially formatted films and programs, often still exclusive to cinemas. This implies adapted resolutions, multilingual options and extended interactive functions, lengthening product development times compared to home entertainment systems.
The main players in the IFE market
The market for in-flight entertainment systems is dominated by a few specialist companies, due to the technical skills required in both the digital and aviation fields. Three main manufacturers share 97% of the global market:
- Panasonic Avionics (63%)
- Thales (26%)
- Safran (8%)
Market leader Panasonic Avionics is currently offering a new IFE system, the Astrova, featuring a 4K OLED screen, configurable in sizes ranging from 19″ to 42″.
Airlines offering the largest IFE screens
Several companies stand out for the impressive size of the screens they offer:
- Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA) offer the largest screens in the industry with 43″ screens in first class on certain devices.
- Emirates offers 32″ screens in first class.
- Qatar Airways has 26″ in first class.
- Singapore Airlines offers first-class 24″ screens.
- Oman Air offers 23.5″ screens in first class.
Screen sizes vary according to aircraft type, class of travel and airline:
| Airlines | First class | Business class | Premium economy class | Economy class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Airlines (A350-1000) | 43″ | 24″ | 16″ | 13,3″ |
| ANA (B777-300ER) | 43″ | 24″ | 10,6″ | 10,6″ |
| Emirates | 32″ | 23″ | 13,3″ | 13,3″ |
| Qatar Airways (A380-800) | 26″ | 17″ | N/A | 10,6″ |
| Singapore Airlines (A380) | 24″ | 18″ | 13,3″ | 11″ |
| Oman Air | 23″ | 17″ | N/A | 10,6″ |
Airlines in the midst of updating their IFE systems
Some companies, like United Airlinesare planning to install Panasonic Avionics' new Astrova OLED 4K system on their new Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR starting next year, with 13″ screens in first class and 10″ in economy.
SWISS also announced new "SWISS Senses" cabins with their first class featuring a 43″ screen in the central suite designed for couples, and a 27″ screen in the suites near the windows. Business class will feature 17″ screens, premium economy 15.6″ and economy 13.3″.
The best IFE overall
Emirates is renowned for offering the best global IFE system. The company's ICE system has earned distinctions from Skytrax, Airline Ratings and APEX with over 2,186 on-demand entertainment channels, 1,230 music channels, live TV and free Wi-Fi. Their multilingual interface is available in 14 different languages.
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