# When you fly, do you use the in flight entertainment system? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 2, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308 "2022-07-02T16:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/1 "2022-07-02T16:37:11Z")
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/1))_ For me, the answer is yes, almost all the time. Even if I’m reading my kindle or some hard copy, I’m likely streaming music from in flight entertainment. Obviously the answer might vary depending if it’s a 12 hour international flight or a quick hop. The reason I was curious is that I mentioned the films I watched recently on a flight from Heathrow to Ohare and someone was shocked as if I pulled out a check book or showcased my VHS collection. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/2 "2022-07-02T17:22:13Z")
I don’t care for headphones or ear buds, etc and will sonner listen to to sounds of the cabin. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/3 "2022-07-02T17:25:02Z")
No, I always have my own with me, either a book to read or a movie to watch on my laptop (or music from it). Or I’ll just enjoy staring out the window if you can see anything besides the tops of clouds. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/4 "2022-07-02T17:27:40Z")
If it is free, I use it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/5 "2022-07-02T17:29:16Z")
I’ve never been able to figure out how to use it. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/6 "2022-07-02T17:46:50Z")
Movies nah, but yes to the games I’ll play word scramble over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/7 "2022-07-02T18:05:07Z")
I don’t fly often, but if/when I do, I’d bring along plenty to do. I’d almost certainly have a Kindle and a tablet and a phone, stocked with things to read, games to play, movies/videos to watch, music and audiobooks to listen to. I can’t fathom the idea of getting on a plane (or sitting in a waiting room, or getting into any other situation where I’d be sitting around for any length of time) and _not_ bringing something with me to pass the time. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/8 "2022-07-02T18:49:19Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I’ve never been able to figure out how to use it. 🤨 You press the buttons on the touchscreen. How is it so confusing? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/9 "2022-07-02T18:56:03Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > You press the buttons on the touchscreen. How is it so confusing? On many flights, the screen has been dispensed with; you log into the plane’s Wi-Fi and watch or listen on your phone or tablet. Unless you are listening carefully to announcements on the PA or read the info cards in the pouch, it’s easy to miss. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/10 "2022-07-02T19:07:29Z")
I’m in the “bring my own” camp. I download movies and TV show episodes to my iPad and fully charge it, then I bring that, headphones, my Kindle, and my portable charger. I use my phone for entertainment while at the gate/in the terminal. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/11 "2022-07-02T19:32:32Z")
I’ve been known to. Depends on what is showing. I watched Aquaman heading from Tucson to Atlanta. I fell asleep to Captain America then Tintin heading from Milan to Atlanta. I’ve channel hopped TV shows. Mostly, though, I use my kindle. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/12 "2022-07-02T20:05:55Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If it is free, I use it. 100% agree. But I won’t pay to use it so that’s the determining factor for me. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/13 "2022-07-02T20:27:35Z")
Air Canada, at least, always offers a map showing the flight progress and I turn that on, while reading my Kobo. I voted other. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/14 "2022-07-02T20:42:37Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > 100% agree. But I won’t pay to use it so that’s the determining factor for me. Southwest used to have a system where you had to watch an ad (I think every hour) but you could get the in flight entertainment free by doing so. That was before Covid, so don’t know if it continued. Of course, many Southwest flights are too short for a film. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/15 "2022-07-02T21:44:11Z")
Long distance flights are responsible for the majority of movies I’ve watched in the past 5 years. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/16 "2022-07-02T21:47:58Z")
Never. I’m on about four airline flights a month and I can honestly say I have never once utilized the screen embedded in the seat in front of me. I use airline time to read mostly, occasionally listen to a podcast or do a crossword. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/17 "2022-07-02T21:59:55Z")
I haven’t flown since 2018, but up until then I zoned out to a movie or two while in flight, accompanied by a couple of gin and tonics. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/18 "2022-07-02T23:28:20Z")
On long flights, since I don’t sleep on planes, I watch movies outside my normal viewing habits. For some reason, this seems to be mainly Japanese rom-coms and Korean crime dramas. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/19 "2022-07-02T23:34:04Z")
I only fly international so I watch at least 2 movies per flight. ---
**Author:** ![mtnmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@mtnmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mtnmatt)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308/20 "2022-07-02T23:43:06Z")
I voted yes, though I do also read and do crosswords. If nothing else I track my flight on the map. I’ve been in the video delivery business all my career so I am interested in the whole experience, from UI to content availability, to VOD and Satellite delivery quality. And I usually can find a movie or something I wouldn’t otherwise see. On my last trip, a visit back to my hometown in NJ, I watched Cry Macho (would have been hard to convince my wife to see) and then got in the mood with a few episodes of The Sopranos, which was filmed around my area. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-fly-do-you-use-the-in-flight-entertainment-system/967308.md?page=2)