Emirates Introduces New Generation IFE That Is Best In Class

Emirates last week announced that all new 777-300ER and A380 deliveries will be outfitted with enhanced IFE screens and technology, allowing passengers to flick through a massive 4,300 hours of entertainment. That is virtually half a year non-stop of watching a TV, meaning it is practically impossible to watch the whole entertainment offering, even if you are their most frequent Emirates flier.

Passengers in economy and first class will have enhanced screen sizes, with those travelling in First Class enjoying “a more immersive viewing experience to look forward to” with IFE screens increased from 27 to 32 inches – the 40% increase makes it the largest screen on any commercial aircraft. Whilst the business class screen hasn’t been increased in size, at 23″ it’s still comparable to some of the largest screens in the sky in their class. Other new features on ice includes enhanced handset controllers, USB ports and PC power outlets on all seats across the three cabin classes to allow passengers to charge their own mobile phones and portable devices.

Passengers in First Class are also about to enjoy increased comfort, with product enhancements including new “micro fibre optic carpet” in the First Class cabin which helps to reduce the effects of jet lag, and private suites in the centre aisle have been widened by almost 2 inches.

“We continually upgrade our fleet, as well as our products and services on board to ensure an unparalleled travel experience. In addition to the technology, Emirates also puts emphasis on curating our award-winning inflight entertainment system and we always aim to surpass industry benchmarks. Our new generation ice system elevates the viewing experience, and offers passengers the most comprehensive movie and TV selection on any airline,’ said Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President – Customer Experience.

With three times the media storage on the new IFE system, ice Digital Widescreen now has 2,186 channels of on-demand entertainment and 1,230 music channels which amounts to about 4,300 hours of entertainment. This includes over 50 full TV box sets and close to 600 movies. Reflecting Emirates’ global and diverse customer base, the enhanced system also features a multilingual interface in 14 languages.

How does the new system stack up against their Middle Eastern Competitors?

Qatar Airways	Etihad	Emirates
Oryx One	eBOX	ICE
A380	A380	A380
Economy Class 10.6″	Economy Class 11″	Economy Class 13″
Business Class 17″	Business Class 18″	Business Class 23″
First Class 26″	First Class 24″	First Class 32″
WiFi onboard	WiFi onboard	WiFi onboard
2,000 entertainment options	110 movies 300 shows 7 live TV channels 750 hours	2,186 on-demand entertainment options 4,300 hours of entertainment 50 full box sets 600 movies

It’s fairly unsurprising, but the new system now completely outranks both Qatar Airways and Etihad’s IFE systems, with Etihad’s hard product providing larger screens in all but First Class compared to Qatar. This year, Emirates took its 11th consecutive Skytrax Awards for ‘World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment’, meaning if it is entertainment you seek, it seems the leader in the field plans to keep its crown.