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The digital age is shifting inflight entertainment (IFE) from a standard offering to a key differentiator, and airlines are recognizing the importance of aligning inflight content with flight characteristics and passenger preferences to optimize passenger experience. Recent advances in adaptive streaming, data-driven content personalization, and targeted advertising opportunities make this more achievable and valuable than ever. Here’s how airlines can leverage the latest in IFE to enhance the passenger experience and boost revenue.
Airlines invest heavily in IFE, often reaching millions annually, to keep passengers entertained and engaged. However, a one-size-fits-all approach is often inefficient. Aligning IFE content with factors like flight duration, route, and passenger demographics can make IFE more relevant, especially as short-haul flights dominate operations (over 70% of all flights). For flights under two hours, shorter entertainment formats, like short films or TV episodes, can engage passengers effectively without straining the budget.
Today’s adaptive streaming solutions allow passengers to seamlessly transition content between devices or pick up right where they left off. This flexibility is particularly useful on short and medium-haul routes, where passengers prefer short-form content.
On top of that, as airlines can now leverage 4G/LTE for a content update before each aircraft leg, the scope of delivery can be even more contextualized and opens huge personalization capabilities.
Begin by categorizing your routes by duration and region (e.g., under 2 hours, 2-4 hours) to streamline content decisions. For short-haul flights, quick bites of entertainment—such as short films, episodes, and destination-specific content—are more suitable.
Collaborate with your marketing team to map out passenger profiles, considering factors like travel purpose, family demographics, and seasonal trends. Understanding who is flying helps shape content choices, improving engagement.
Organize content selection by mapping route segments against customer insights. Aligning content decisions with passenger demographics ensures your investment meets actual viewing needs and preferences.
Effective advertising can generate substantial revenue for IFE. To maximize impact, aim for an average of four ad exposures per passenger per flight. Short-form content is vital on shorter flights, where lengthy programs may not hold viewers’ attention. On a 75-minute flight, for instance, prioritizing 15- to 20-minute pieces will allow time for multiple ad exposures, increasing potential ad revenue without compromising passenger satisfaction.
Once you’ve identified the most suitable content mix for each route segment, seek licensing options that reflect your content needs while controlling costs. An adaptable IFE platform should let you seamlessly adjust content offerings by route and season, creating a more engaging, relevant passenger experience and an optimized investment. Especially when the IFE management system enables different versions of the portal and its content at the same time (e.g. one for domestic, one for international).
Don’t miss our next articles dedicated to a comprehensive overview of the inflight content offering, and organizing an effective and valuable passengers’ feedback.
Tailoring inflight content to flight characteristics and passenger preferences isn’t just about enhancing the travel experience—it’s about unlocking potential revenue streams and improving operational efficiency. As airlines continue adapting to evolving passenger expectations, a customized IFEC strategy can set your brand apart and optimize every dollar invested.
Stay tuned for our next articles, where we’ll dive deeper into content optimization techniques and leveraging passenger feedback to refine IFEC offerings continually.
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