Alongside a new cabin outfitting which was launched in September 2013 – optimising travel primarily for its premium customers – Singapore Airlines introduced a state of the art upgrade to KrisWorld – its In Flight Entertainment (IFE) system – for its brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, currently operating from Singapore to Sydney, London and Tokyo Narita – with plans to come to Melbourne in March 2015.
As 2015 progresses, the new cabins and IFE will be rolled out across the entire existing Boeing 777-300ER network (all aircraft should be completed by September 2016), and then onto its soon to arrive Airbus A350s. Additional retrofitting may also take place across its network, though this is all that’s currently planned as part of a $400 million agreement with manufacturers Panasonic Avionics and their next-generation eX3 system.
The Specs:
In economy class, where we trialled the new system, the primary LCD screen sits at an impressive 11.1 inches – upgrading it from KrisWorld‘s original 10.6 inches and moving to a touch-screen graphical user interface (GUI). Though size certainly matters, the touch screen capabilities have been offered for years by Virgin’s Red system, Air New Zealand’s IFE and many others. What really makes things interesting is the video touch-screen handset, which help you browse through the 1,000+ entertainment options on offer.
For comparison, the LCD screens have increased from 23 to 24 inches in First Class and a notable 15.4 to 18 inches in Business Class – with the same handsets being used. The bottom of the actual screen also has a reading light, and it’s also worth noting that this system runs cooler than its predecessors. Frequent flyers will know what we’re referring to there…
The Handset:
Really this is about multi-tasking. Where in the past models of Krisworld, the only way to interact was with the handset – which could prove frustrating at times – now you can jump between the screen and your handset to interact with the system (or just choose one or the other). Searching through a film or TV show has never been easier.
Of course, the standard protocols are there on both the screen and your controller, but where it gets interesting is the fact that you’re able to check the news or track your flight path on your handset without interrupting your film.
The new “Quick Search” addition was excellent and indeed fast. If you’re looking for an episode of say, Bob’s Burgers, you just type in “Bobs” and the episodes will come up. This is a big step forward for systems that never allowed this sort of interaction, and makes the 1,000+ entertainment options much easier to explore. Frequent flyers will love it.
The Verdict:
The new in flight entertainment system by Singapore Airlines is top of its class, and a major step up from the airline’s existing system, which suffered from issues making it difficult to find what you were looking for, and pick up from where you left off.
The system is state of the art to the very word, encompassing the best in new technologies to create a phenomenal system. It’s also incredibly customisable, offering more than we’ve ever experienced in an IFE. And if we keep in mind that its primary function is to play films and TV shows, listen to music and to a lesser extent, play video games, everything has been put in place to make things easier, faster and better.
But with so many options could come some problems. While the service is certainly intuitive for someone who is used to tablets and iPad technologies, for passengers who are not so familiar, they may struggle to get their head around it. The earlier systems certainly win points in their simplicity, even if they had problems of their own. There is a tutorial you can watch, but those who aren’t comfortable with the technology already may just turn to their own devices – or open a book, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But these days, they are certainly in the minority when it comes to the travelling community.
Overall, this is a great step up for In Flight Entertainment, and you’ll be seeing the eX3 systems pop up across many different networks in the years to come. Though Singapore would no doubt like to point out that they were the first to sign on the dotted line…
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This article was written with Johnny Au, who flew with the new IFE from Singapore to Sydney earlier this month. The authors flew at their own expense. To find out more about Singapore Airlines, its services and its routes, head to http://singaporeair.com/
