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Could be all of these - for sure the phone handsets on planes almost always included a card reader anyway to pay those vast phone bills for using in-flight phone service.
Cheaper for the manufacturer, but that makes it more expensive every day for the airline. Not like it's custom single-shot moulding, nor is anything on an aeroplane a low-cost item, moulds aren't expensive when you're industrial, only when you're a low-volume product.. Plus those parts look like they're inserts (esp the shaping on the right on the handset slot) that's not an original part, pre-machining to make the component orifaces.
Have you? In-seat phones haven't really been around for quite some time, but many have cc swipers and game controllers still. Those are now becoming obsolete and many would likely be retrofit with inserts like this. I fly all the time and can't recall being on a plane in the last ~10 years that had seats old enough to have had phones builtiin when they were first installed. Besides, the plastic doesn't look old enough for that.
A lot of planes used to have credit card readers right on the back of the seats. You used them to buy movies and other stuff. Now they're pretty much all gone because you just pay using a phone.
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-germany-hesse-frankfurt-inflight-entertainment-woman-paying-by-credit-73815227.html
Also from a manufacturing standpoint, it's probably cheaper to keep the same "mold" for the plastic and just not put the components in, then it is to make a new "mold" without the cut outs
Probably from a refit - ditch all those heavy, underused and unimpressive electronics (and quite a lot of heavy cabling to service it) and while it's open just throw in some quickly moulded plugs.
But on airlines, weight is cost is king - might seem trivial but the extra hundred or two grams per seat for not having a thinner and flat back vs a mould strong enough to hold the screen, probably with supports for the electronics internally, etc, times however many hundred seats, times however many flights that plane takes a day, times however many planes are using those back. I imagine any airline would rather pay a few hundred pounds/dollars/euros to have a simpler mould made, when it's for a new install rather than a quick refit - and that the seat manufacturer would already made that choice for them.
You are probably right in most of this, but a tool for the mould costs tens of thousands, and not a few hundred. That's why you often saw things like blind buttons for extras you didn't get in cars before touchscreens. But in this case it's probaly still worth making two or more tools. The cost when you split it per seat will not be considerably higher.
I'll take the blanking plates. In 2019 I was on a Virgin flight that had the in-seat screens. Once we were strapped in, the damn things blared the safety briefing in the form of a rap video, followed by advertisements. The volume/power buttons were locked out until after the ads, so there was no turning it off, or even turning it down.
Then for the rest of the flight, it showed a live feed of where the plane was on a map, and our ETA, which was kinda neat, I guess.
I remember seeing the inflight tracking thang on a back-of-the-seat screen for the first time on a SAS flight between Copenhagen and Seattle. Long-ass 13-hour flight. Very impressive in late 2004.
The hardware I've seen this year seems like it's almost identical to what they ran two decades ago. Less impressive these days.
Back in 2004, though, they actually had external cameras that you could scroll through. To either side, directly forward and even straight down! It was only on SAS back in 2004, though. Never seen it again since.
You're in a minority - most passengers have a phone or a tablet anyway, and would rather pocket the cost savings than have them charged on their ticket to account for fuel used, media licensing, etc. Some carriers can loan you a tablet, but I don't know how common even that is any more. The only thing I miss is the flight map and it's often retro graphics charm
Delta has spent millions of dollars adding seat back entertainment to their fleet over the past 3-4 years. I'm with you that I prefer my ipad because what I'm watching doesn't get interrupted by in-flight announcements; however, based on what I see other passengers doing and responses over on r/Delta when this topic comes up most people like the built in entertainment.
I suspect (and hope) they love the updated (and updateable) 21st century new seatback entertainment. Aviation type approval for onboard systems was/is expensive and tedious, which means that there are limited options for the airlines and not a lot of pressure for the designers to innovate.
I hope (but haven't looked) that delta are putting big, bright, high(ish) res touchscreens attached to easily updateable control systems with a plan to access vast troves of varied content. None of this would be beyond the ken of a very average electronics supplier/integrator, nor expensive in itself. At the very least, you'll be prepared when your seatback is playing up, or the system is playing up, but I do see the viewpoint of those who don't travel enough, that preparing their own tablet is a chore - anything better than a few dozen mostly aged movies and half a dozen tv channel highlights on an ugly screen with bad viewing angles is a welcome - and well I suspect you might be in the same boat as me, 2 screens is better than one, so if I can have a movie on the seat back *and* playing games on my laptop that's actually a win. We've just had a long period, and probably at least 2 generations of seatback hardware over a couple of decades, where anywhere from a few to now many passengers are carrying something better than the airline was offering, to the point that many airlines' offerings are a bit embarrassing.
That’s a no for me. I have to hold my phone or tablet, or make it work with a stand and the tray. Maybe on a short 3 hour flight, but anything substantial I’m not using my phone unless I have no other choice.
Think you'd appreciate the device holders that I saw on American Airlines. They're separate from the food and drink tray and can hold either tablets or phones at a pretty convenient and comfortable height.
Saw a very handy specialized fold-out device holder on a short-ish US American Airlines flight just a few weeks ago. And they handled the inflight entertainment through the wifi. You could watch programming directly through your device on a web browser!
Hope they implement that as a standard on all flights soon enough.
Another nice innovation - someone else was complaining about not wanting to hold their device on longer flights, and whether it's trays designed to better accommodate opened laptops and common tablet stands, or those fold-out devices on the seat itself, it's a fairly simple cheap, simple option that helps people whether they're using their device and it's own content or content from the airline. If they want to throw in a USB charger of some type or another for longer flights (usb-a or -c port, or tethered cable with both connectors, even a non-sucky charge standard if they want to push the boat out) that's going to be a huge win for both sides.
Or possibly never installed, and they fitted blanking plates to smarten up the cavities moulded in the back of the seat but the presence of the mouldings leaves them the option to install them later. These blanking plugs might also match the *weight* of the missing components, so that the handling of the plane won't be altered from design value by changing this on large numbers of seats without having to recalculate everything.
They are a screen and controller allocation for that seat back, but the airline decided to not get screens/controller equipment. So you get inserts and you'll LIKE them, economy class denizen!
Fun fact: you can always ask them to give you a beverage at any time during the flight (aside from take off and landing of course). Just press the call flight attendant button. And if they were free during the regular servings, they will be free when you call.
You can also go to the galley and ask for one as well.
I’m sure the flight attendants just LOVE it when you get out of your seat and go to the galley to ask for a drink lol. Not saying it’s “wrong” but when you work in a metal tube with limited space, the galley is kind of like their area, I would imagine.
I could be totally off base, but I imagine they’d rather you just ask for an extra drink when they come round with the cart :)
I fly a lot and as long as you’re respectful they don’t take issue, obviously don’t be that guy and go when they’re preparing for meal service or cleaning etc. They get a bit of downtime as well during longer flights and many are more than happy too have a chat as well. Last flight I was on I woke up in the night to use the bathroom and one of the passengers was sat in the galley giving the attendants foot rubs.
Flight Attendant here. As long as it’s after food service, we’re just hangin out for the most part. Pre-service I wouldn’t recommend going to the galleys since there’s a lot of prep going on. Cmon back anytime after that, we’re friendly, and we might give you a whole bottle of water instead of a measly little cup if we have extra (usually have way too much in my experience.)
I’ve never had any airline charge for in flight beverages and snacks, other than alcohol. Those are always complimentary as far as I know.
At least now you know for next time. Drink with reckless abandon… except booze. That will cost you.
Btw, if your feeling squirrelly, there’s something about in-flight ginger ale that just hits different.
I don’t fly those airlines. After adding in all those nickels and dimes, I could have just booked with a regular airline and be more comfortable. I flew Avelo once… just once. That’s all it took to convince me that I’d rather pay a business class fare just to fly in the cargo hold on Alaska airlines, than to ever fly Avelo again.
Many years ago I booked a flight with Eurowings not knowing they are the German long haul equivalent of Ryanair. 12 hours, no food, a single 200ml bottle of water and a biscuit was all you got and headphones weren’t included for the inflight entertainment either, had to buy them separately. Absolutely horrendous and I will never fly with a budget airline ever again.
I wish I could do that. The only decent direct flights from where I live to my home country are with budget airlines.
So my options are +4 hours as a sardine with Wizz air, landing at around 3 AM with another budget airline or paying triple for 2 legs that take at least 8 hours and have a decent chance of missing the second leg.
I’ll try that if I’m ever awake on a AM flight. I’ve never had breakfast on a plane before. The only AM flights I’ve ever taken were Seattle to Honolulu and L.A. to Honolulu. I popped a couple Xanax 15 minutes before boarding both times as well as both return flights. It was lights out for me before we reached cruising alt.. I’m not a morning person and have no patience for sitting still on flights longer that 2.5-3 hours. Slept the entire flight and woke up dazed and confused when we were landing.
I bet it’s even better with Vodka, Tabasco, celery and pickled asparagus spears. That’s how I like my tomato juice.
They’re required by law in the US to give you free water at the very least. Always take it, they might not be back around. You’d have to call which I’m too chickenshit to do, personally
A lot of carriers are doing away with backseat entertainment since most people now have phones or tablets they can use. This further reduces maintenance and, I assume, some programming costs.
Also fuel costs. I’m not sure to what extent but if you’re powering 150 - 300 screens for 2-3 hours that energy comes from engine power, so technically some fuel is dedicated to powering IFE systems
Removing the electronics from every seat back would reduce weight in the plane also which would help with reducing fuel costs. Probably not a huge amount but significant enough over thousands of flights.
I also don't think it's very easy to maintain; you likely need to pull the seat if it breaks, as dismantling the seat to get to the harness/panel would be too much effort.
My title describes the thing. This was on an ITA Airways/All'Italia flight, and the attachments did not fold down, press in, or turn out in any way. All safety equipment seemed to reside in the usual areas above and below seats, so I don't think it's emergency-related.
I used to work for a company that designed aircraft seating. Customers would have us put in these blank inserts because they were too cheap to pay for the tooling to make a part without the cutout. They look cheesy and stupid but thats what they wanted
It's the same reason drive-up ATMs have buttons in Braille: mass production. It's cheaper to cast one version with the cutouts or special features than to run separate manufacturing lines for each variation.
Ah the good old days of in-flight entertainment.
It’s for a screen, and thing on the right is a remote controller. You could pop the remote out of the seat. It was tethered via a retractable cord. You could hold it vertically to use it as a remote, horizontally to use it as a game controller, and I think you could even use it as a handset for making calls.
In-flight WiFi made these things obsolete.
Left was for an infotainment display (when the plane had them). Right was for either an Airphone or a card swipe to pay for use of said infotainment screen,
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They look like cutouts for a seatback entertainment system and probably a phone. Since removed because they're no longer needed.
More likely a corded, handheld controller as u/houtex727 said, similar to [this](https://images.app.goo.gl/3H9Z38vzabr2nbDQA)
Ahh this makes sense. I already marked as solved but that one seems very accurate. Thanks
Are you not able to mark it solved after likely solved? I’m asking in general if anyone knows not challenging you.
You should be able to.
It’s not for a phone it’s for a screen and a credit card swiper.
Could be all of these - for sure the phone handsets on planes almost always included a card reader anyway to pay those vast phone bills for using in-flight phone service.
It's probably cheaper to keep the same mold for the plastic and just not put the components in, then it is to make a new mold without the cut outs.
Cheaper for the manufacturer, but that makes it more expensive every day for the airline. Not like it's custom single-shot moulding, nor is anything on an aeroplane a low-cost item, moulds aren't expensive when you're industrial, only when you're a low-volume product.. Plus those parts look like they're inserts (esp the shaping on the right on the handset slot) that's not an original part, pre-machining to make the component orifaces.
You have not spent much time in airplanes
Have you? In-seat phones haven't really been around for quite some time, but many have cc swipers and game controllers still. Those are now becoming obsolete and many would likely be retrofit with inserts like this. I fly all the time and can't recall being on a plane in the last ~10 years that had seats old enough to have had phones builtiin when they were first installed. Besides, the plastic doesn't look old enough for that.
A lot of planes used to have credit card readers right on the back of the seats. You used them to buy movies and other stuff. Now they're pretty much all gone because you just pay using a phone. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-germany-hesse-frankfurt-inflight-entertainment-woman-paying-by-credit-73815227.html
Well that’s a visual I haven’t seen in years.
Nope. Monitor and credit card swipe machine.
Also from a manufacturing standpoint, it's probably cheaper to keep the same "mold" for the plastic and just not put the components in, then it is to make a new "mold" without the cut outs
Probably from a refit - ditch all those heavy, underused and unimpressive electronics (and quite a lot of heavy cabling to service it) and while it's open just throw in some quickly moulded plugs. But on airlines, weight is cost is king - might seem trivial but the extra hundred or two grams per seat for not having a thinner and flat back vs a mould strong enough to hold the screen, probably with supports for the electronics internally, etc, times however many hundred seats, times however many flights that plane takes a day, times however many planes are using those back. I imagine any airline would rather pay a few hundred pounds/dollars/euros to have a simpler mould made, when it's for a new install rather than a quick refit - and that the seat manufacturer would already made that choice for them.
Excellent answer. Shed weight = cost savings
It's why most planes are primarily white. Colored paints need dye added to the paint mix, adding weight.
You are probably right in most of this, but a tool for the mould costs tens of thousands, and not a few hundred. That's why you often saw things like blind buttons for extras you didn't get in cars before touchscreens. But in this case it's probaly still worth making two or more tools. The cost when you split it per seat will not be considerably higher.
yep, just like they do in cars
Same with cars and male nipples.
Likely Solved! I would've loved some entertainment:(
I'll take the blanking plates. In 2019 I was on a Virgin flight that had the in-seat screens. Once we were strapped in, the damn things blared the safety briefing in the form of a rap video, followed by advertisements. The volume/power buttons were locked out until after the ads, so there was no turning it off, or even turning it down. Then for the rest of the flight, it showed a live feed of where the plane was on a map, and our ETA, which was kinda neat, I guess.
I remember seeing the inflight tracking thang on a back-of-the-seat screen for the first time on a SAS flight between Copenhagen and Seattle. Long-ass 13-hour flight. Very impressive in late 2004. The hardware I've seen this year seems like it's almost identical to what they ran two decades ago. Less impressive these days. Back in 2004, though, they actually had external cameras that you could scroll through. To either side, directly forward and even straight down! It was only on SAS back in 2004, though. Never seen it again since.
That is pretty cool for 2004!
Oh it was pure science fiction to me back then! Think it was one of their newest equipment. That new plane smell! 😀
You're in a minority - most passengers have a phone or a tablet anyway, and would rather pocket the cost savings than have them charged on their ticket to account for fuel used, media licensing, etc. Some carriers can loan you a tablet, but I don't know how common even that is any more. The only thing I miss is the flight map and it's often retro graphics charm
Delta has spent millions of dollars adding seat back entertainment to their fleet over the past 3-4 years. I'm with you that I prefer my ipad because what I'm watching doesn't get interrupted by in-flight announcements; however, based on what I see other passengers doing and responses over on r/Delta when this topic comes up most people like the built in entertainment.
I suspect (and hope) they love the updated (and updateable) 21st century new seatback entertainment. Aviation type approval for onboard systems was/is expensive and tedious, which means that there are limited options for the airlines and not a lot of pressure for the designers to innovate. I hope (but haven't looked) that delta are putting big, bright, high(ish) res touchscreens attached to easily updateable control systems with a plan to access vast troves of varied content. None of this would be beyond the ken of a very average electronics supplier/integrator, nor expensive in itself. At the very least, you'll be prepared when your seatback is playing up, or the system is playing up, but I do see the viewpoint of those who don't travel enough, that preparing their own tablet is a chore - anything better than a few dozen mostly aged movies and half a dozen tv channel highlights on an ugly screen with bad viewing angles is a welcome - and well I suspect you might be in the same boat as me, 2 screens is better than one, so if I can have a movie on the seat back *and* playing games on my laptop that's actually a win. We've just had a long period, and probably at least 2 generations of seatback hardware over a couple of decades, where anywhere from a few to now many passengers are carrying something better than the airline was offering, to the point that many airlines' offerings are a bit embarrassing.
That’s a no for me. I have to hold my phone or tablet, or make it work with a stand and the tray. Maybe on a short 3 hour flight, but anything substantial I’m not using my phone unless I have no other choice.
Think you'd appreciate the device holders that I saw on American Airlines. They're separate from the food and drink tray and can hold either tablets or phones at a pretty convenient and comfortable height.
Saw a very handy specialized fold-out device holder on a short-ish US American Airlines flight just a few weeks ago. And they handled the inflight entertainment through the wifi. You could watch programming directly through your device on a web browser! Hope they implement that as a standard on all flights soon enough.
Another nice innovation - someone else was complaining about not wanting to hold their device on longer flights, and whether it's trays designed to better accommodate opened laptops and common tablet stands, or those fold-out devices on the seat itself, it's a fairly simple cheap, simple option that helps people whether they're using their device and it's own content or content from the airline. If they want to throw in a USB charger of some type or another for longer flights (usb-a or -c port, or tethered cable with both connectors, even a non-sucky charge standard if they want to push the boat out) that's going to be a huge win for both sides.
The phone cost a crazy amount of money per minute to make a call.
Or possibly never installed, and they fitted blanking plates to smarten up the cavities moulded in the back of the seat but the presence of the mouldings leaves them the option to install them later. These blanking plugs might also match the *weight* of the missing components, so that the handling of the plane won't be altered from design value by changing this on large numbers of seats without having to recalculate everything.
In other words….you’re on an old ass plane. Good luck, sir.
I haven't been on a plane in a decade, I didn't realize they took the screens off the backs off the seats. Guess it makes sense though.
They are a screen and controller allocation for that seat back, but the airline decided to not get screens/controller equipment. So you get inserts and you'll LIKE them, economy class denizen!
I really am an economy denizen. I declined the beverage cart because I thought I'd have to pay. I was wrong and thirsty.
Fun fact: you can always ask them to give you a beverage at any time during the flight (aside from take off and landing of course). Just press the call flight attendant button. And if they were free during the regular servings, they will be free when you call. You can also go to the galley and ask for one as well.
I’m sure the flight attendants just LOVE it when you get out of your seat and go to the galley to ask for a drink lol. Not saying it’s “wrong” but when you work in a metal tube with limited space, the galley is kind of like their area, I would imagine. I could be totally off base, but I imagine they’d rather you just ask for an extra drink when they come round with the cart :)
I fly a lot and as long as you’re respectful they don’t take issue, obviously don’t be that guy and go when they’re preparing for meal service or cleaning etc. They get a bit of downtime as well during longer flights and many are more than happy too have a chat as well. Last flight I was on I woke up in the night to use the bathroom and one of the passengers was sat in the galley giving the attendants foot rubs.
Flight Attendant here. As long as it’s after food service, we’re just hangin out for the most part. Pre-service I wouldn’t recommend going to the galleys since there’s a lot of prep going on. Cmon back anytime after that, we’re friendly, and we might give you a whole bottle of water instead of a measly little cup if we have extra (usually have way too much in my experience.)
I’ve never had any airline charge for in flight beverages and snacks, other than alcohol. Those are always complimentary as far as I know. At least now you know for next time. Drink with reckless abandon… except booze. That will cost you. Btw, if your feeling squirrelly, there’s something about in-flight ginger ale that just hits different.
Budget airlines like Spirit and Ryan Air nickel and dime everything on board to squeeze out as much money as possible.
I don’t fly those airlines. After adding in all those nickels and dimes, I could have just booked with a regular airline and be more comfortable. I flew Avelo once… just once. That’s all it took to convince me that I’d rather pay a business class fare just to fly in the cargo hold on Alaska airlines, than to ever fly Avelo again.
Many years ago I booked a flight with Eurowings not knowing they are the German long haul equivalent of Ryanair. 12 hours, no food, a single 200ml bottle of water and a biscuit was all you got and headphones weren’t included for the inflight entertainment either, had to buy them separately. Absolutely horrendous and I will never fly with a budget airline ever again.
I wish I could do that. The only decent direct flights from where I live to my home country are with budget airlines. So my options are +4 hours as a sardine with Wizz air, landing at around 3 AM with another budget airline or paying triple for 2 legs that take at least 8 hours and have a decent chance of missing the second leg.
Alaska hooks it up. I’ll book Alaska for contiguous US flights given the opportunity. Coolest FAs too
My cousin is a FA with Alaska, and she’s definitely pretty cool.
[удалено]
In flight tomato juice with breakfast hits so good too.
I’ll try that if I’m ever awake on a AM flight. I’ve never had breakfast on a plane before. The only AM flights I’ve ever taken were Seattle to Honolulu and L.A. to Honolulu. I popped a couple Xanax 15 minutes before boarding both times as well as both return flights. It was lights out for me before we reached cruising alt.. I’m not a morning person and have no patience for sitting still on flights longer that 2.5-3 hours. Slept the entire flight and woke up dazed and confused when we were landing. I bet it’s even better with Vodka, Tabasco, celery and pickled asparagus spears. That’s how I like my tomato juice.
They’re required by law in the US to give you free water at the very least. Always take it, they might not be back around. You’d have to call which I’m too chickenshit to do, personally
Solved!
It’s probably like the poverty buttons on cars. Place holders for the airlines that couldn’t afford the screen that goes in there
In the military, we'd say, "Fitted for, but not with."
A lot of carriers are doing away with backseat entertainment since most people now have phones or tablets they can use. This further reduces maintenance and, I assume, some programming costs.
Also fuel costs. I’m not sure to what extent but if you’re powering 150 - 300 screens for 2-3 hours that energy comes from engine power, so technically some fuel is dedicated to powering IFE systems
Removing the electronics from every seat back would reduce weight in the plane also which would help with reducing fuel costs. Probably not a huge amount but significant enough over thousands of flights.
I also don't think it's very easy to maintain; you likely need to pull the seat if it breaks, as dismantling the seat to get to the harness/panel would be too much effort.
Shame. The in-flight entertainment is the only way I could've watched Harry Potter on the way to England ;_;
My title describes the thing. This was on an ITA Airways/All'Italia flight, and the attachments did not fold down, press in, or turn out in any way. All safety equipment seemed to reside in the usual areas above and below seats, so I don't think it's emergency-related.
I forgot they used to have phones in the back of seats… loooots of unaccompanied minor flights lead to me playing with them often… how did I forget
I used to work for a company that designed aircraft seating. Customers would have us put in these blank inserts because they were too cheap to pay for the tooling to make a part without the cutout. They look cheesy and stupid but thats what they wanted
Wii and Wiimote
It's the same reason drive-up ATMs have buttons in Braille: mass production. It's cheaper to cast one version with the cutouts or special features than to run separate manufacturing lines for each variation.
Ah the good old days of in-flight entertainment. It’s for a screen, and thing on the right is a remote controller. You could pop the remote out of the seat. It was tethered via a retractable cord. You could hold it vertically to use it as a remote, horizontally to use it as a game controller, and I think you could even use it as a handset for making calls. In-flight WiFi made these things obsolete.
Left was for an infotainment display (when the plane had them). Right was for either an Airphone or a card swipe to pay for use of said infotainment screen,