iLounge

1

Look at me! I’m the first comment! Hooray!

Posted by thelottery on November 15, 2006 at 12:04 PM (PST)

2

thanks for making it a good one!

Posted by gaso on November 15, 2006 at 12:36 PM (PST)

3

If AirFrance and KLM were smart, they’d accomplish their word as soon as possible.  It’s only going to financially benefit their companies a great deal. 

The way things are going, who’s gonna buy a Zune when iPod has every accessory you could ever need.  Companies wouldn’t have it so bad if they all lived up to their word.  But I guess that’s business for ya…

Posted by hunster26 on November 15, 2006 at 1:06 PM (PST)

4

Just saying you have an agreement with a company, and actually having an agreement are completely different things.  “Clearly” there was a big miscommunication.  I would wonder if Apple is investing in the airline iPod infrastructure, or just reaping the benefit paid for by the airlines (and, ergo, airline passengers.)  These “upgrades” don’t come cheap.  If the difference between being able to afford a trip on no-frills Southwest, and not being able to afford it because Delta upgraded to iPod accessible flights, I’m flying Southwest, obviously.  Bring a book.  You don’t need to plug those in.

Posted by Anonymous on November 15, 2006 at 1:38 PM (PST)

5

Just saying you have an agreement with a company, and actually having an agreement are completely different things.  Clearly there was a big miscommunication.  I would wonder if Apple is investing in the airline iPod infrastructure, or just reaping the benefit paid for by the airlines and, ergo, airline passengers.  These upgrades don’t come cheap.  If the difference between being able to afford a trip on no-frills Southwest, and not being able to afford it because Delta upgraded to iPod accessible flights, I’m flying Southwest, obviously.  Bring a book.  You don’t need to plug those in.

Posted by gym sock on November 15, 2006 at 1:42 PM (PST)

6

Freudian slip?

Posted by studogvetmed in Loveland, CO on November 15, 2006 at 1:54 PM (PST)

7

Agreed.  In hindsight after hearing Apple’s announcement it seems they are just cashing in on these other airline’s investment of the actual installation of the necessary equipment into their airplanes rather than announcing a joint partnership.  As two others have said earlier, if this means that the airlines wind up boosting ticket prices to off-set costs from shouldering the burden by themselves I’ll just find a cheaper alternative as I can always bring either another device, book or magazine to keep me occupied should my batteries run out.

Posted by Brian on November 15, 2006 at 2:14 PM (PST)

8

I’d be curious what hooking my iPod up will do?  Are they finally going to make it so you can download straight to the iPod and then be able move that to your computer?

Posted by superape on November 15, 2006 at 2:20 PM (PST)

9

Here is Delta’s press release…

<http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=10453>

John

Posted by Johnbdh on November 15, 2006 at 2:29 PM (PST)

10

you know, if they do actually integrate the ipod into airplanes or whatever, it will most likely only be for first class fliers.

Posted by QWER on November 15, 2006 at 2:44 PM (PST)

11

Delta actually has money to pay for this? They must really work wonders while in Chapter 11…Frankly, Delta should be more worried about US Air’s hostile takeover bid than their planes making nice with iPods.

Posted by flatline response on November 15, 2006 at 4:34 PM (PST)

12

I think this will be a similar thing to the announcement that 5 movie studios were on the iTunes movie store when in fact it was just Disney’s subsidiaries.
I’ve been on a transatlantic Delta (I think?) flight which was also listed as an Air France flight.  So you put iPod integration on this Delta flight and voila you’ve iPod intergrated Air France as well.

Guess they must have figured it wasn’t technically incorrect, but it still is a severe bending of the truth.

Posted by Greg on November 15, 2006 at 4:41 PM (PST)

13

That’s fine if they only upgrade first class because that’s the only way I tavel.   Unless it’s Southwest, the greyhound air(bus)line.

Posted by First class only on November 15, 2006 at 8:30 PM (PST)

14

Looks like the Zune people arent the only ones who can’t get anything right that announcement was a cheap trick to gain some publicity.

Posted by Dude on November 15, 2006 at 8:46 PM (PST)

15

Well ....interestingly ...on a recent flight from LAX to Toronto we counted 57 people with ipods. that is out of 200 people .....seems like it could be useful ....especially considering that i may want to watch several movies or vidcasts ....

Cheers

Scott

Posted by Scott Brooks on November 16, 2006 at 7:06 AM (PST)

16

I haven’t flown first class much since the demise of TWA, and then the decrease in available flights from my area on American, but when I did, I rarely saw first-class passengers sitting around watching movies.  While there weren’t that many devices back then to watch movies on, even today when I go through first class, those passengers, for the most part, seem to be working.  I doubt this is a first-class only upgrade, and I doubt first-class customers are their primary targets for this feature.

Posted by jim on November 16, 2006 at 7:14 AM (PST)

17

Trust the European carriers NOT to deliver. I’m happy that Delta (and United?) are taking the lead on this. Let the others play catch-up once Delta prooves it’s cost-effective to steal their market out from under them with their own cusstomers’ iPods!

Posted by mplb on November 16, 2006 at 7:23 AM (PST)

18

who cares about air france anyways??

and as for KLM, its more like K.L.Crap.

my worst flight ever came from KLM.

Posted by Abdul on November 16, 2006 at 6:42 PM (PST)

19

does any1 kno when this will be starting on those airlines?

Posted by bbllsm15 on November 20, 2006 at 10:39 AM (PST)