The rising cost of jet fuel has prompted airlines to explore cost-saving techniques, mostly focused on weight reduction. By now, passengers are used to the extra charge associated with checking luggage, which has helped reduce the amount of weight carried on planes. But excess weight isn’t the only thing disappearing from the air. Passengers may soon find those magazines stashed in the seat pockets in front of them beginning to vanish.
John Heimlich, vice president of the Air Transport Association, put the rising fuel prices in perspective: “If U.S. airlines had to contend with $3 per gallon jet-fuel prices for all of 2011, their fuel bill would increase $15 billion, from $39 billion in 2010 to an estimated $54 billion in 2011.” To offset these costs, airlines have been gravitating toward digital entertainment.
Last August, Singapore Airlines announced they would be among the first carriers to phase out the print versions of their in-flight magazines, including SilverKris, Krisshop, and KrisWorld. Instead, the magazines are now offered as digital-only copies, available on screens that adorn the back of airline seats. According to MediaWeek, Air France and Delta are also considering repackaging in-flight reading material to cut costs. AirlineTrends.com founder Raymond Kollau noted in an email interview that Cathay Pacific and Virgin America airlines also have plans to pursue similar initiatives.
Meanwhile, Air Transport World reported that Condor Airlines will be launching its own wireless In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) this summer, providing business class passengers a “tablet-type” device to access content. Australian Business Traveler reported earlier this year that JetStar would be going forward with a plan to offer iPad rentals to passengers.
As the digital forms of IFE dominate flights, will in-flight print magazines cease to exist? After all, IFE carries more than just magazine content, such as access to TV, movies, games and social media. In addition to the benefits to the customer, Kallau noted that the digital shift offers advertisers more interactive ways to get their message out.
Grant Davis, editor of the in-flight magazine Wild Blue Yonder for carrier Frontier, acknowledged the challenge that print magazines face, particularly against satellite TV and Wi-Fi. However, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the line yet for print.
“As an affordable means to deliver information for the airline that’s free to the passenger, I believe in-flight magazines will remain a valuable resource for passengers. The key is to create value in terms of the passenger – not just an appealing diversion for 20-minutes. The battle is capturing the passenger’s attention in a cabin that’s increasingly cluttered with media from satellite TV and Wi-Fi,” Davis said in an email interview. “Against this competition, the in-flight magazine still has an advantage – it’s free on every airline. Sat TV and Wi-Fi aren’t always free. In the future, I think the biggest challenge to in-flights is the standardization of Wi-Fi on flights leading to a higher use of portable devices. Currently, I see Wi-Fi being used by people who feel that they HAVE to get online during a flight. Therefore they put up with the cost barrier and slow connection speeds. When travelers start using in-flight Wi-Fi because they want to, our business model will change.”
With many in-flight magazines already providing content within the digital domain, it is very likely that we will see a shift in the way content is presented. The question that remains is whether the value of the printed magazine will outweigh many of the benefits provided by digital media and the proliferation of IFE systems.
–Mario Munoz
