Inflight Entertainment Systems Causing Worry
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
The competition for customers grows every day for the travel industry. As more consumers cut back on their travel spending to make ends meet, the competition becomes even more challenging. Airlines have been using technology as one way to entice customers to their flights.Entertainment centers for long flights allow passengers to watch movies, television shows, listen to songs and even play games. It keeps passengers of all ages entertained. These entertainment centers may make the flights more enjoyable for passengers but they are causing concerns among engineers and maintenance workers.
Electronics produce a lot of heat even when they are not in use. The more of these electronic systems that are installed then the more possibility there is for problems. Over the last several years there have been around 400 reports of problems caused by the entertainment centers. Some of the worst problems involved smoke that caused pilots to make emergency landings.
Experts have mixed feelings about the dangers of the entertainment systems. Advocates say that the systems do not pose a safety hazard. Opponents are concerned that the entertainment systems will cause more disasters like that of Swissair over 11 years ago.
The reports about problems with the entertainment centers on flights or electronics only represent a tiny fraction of the annual 10 million or so flights through out the United States. The trend is likely to be more electronics for passengers and not less as airlines actively compete for the few customers that are still spending money for travel during these economic times.
Safety experts are concerned about the addition of so many electronics. Most airplanes that are wired with entertainment systems for passengers require as many as 10 miles more wiring than other plans. This raises the idea that new systems can leave to more problems and are better off being left behind.
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