Information. Communication. Entertainment. What more could you want? (Well, there are a couple other things…)
As I flew from Dubai to Istanbul on my Emirates Airlines flight, I was amazed to discover an enlightened airline that still treats flying “the friendly skies” like an old-fashioned luxury in a modern world. The ICE system is their in-flight entertainment extravaganza packed into the screen in the seat back in front of you. You control it with your own remote and choose from over six hundred (600!!) channels of movies, TV shows and video games. Plus, hundreds of music albums. It’s like having your own stereo system/DVD player at your seat. Oh, and I’m sitting in Economy Class.
Not only that, there’s the information side with a map of our route PLUS two live cameras—one with a front view (pretty fun to watch during take off) and one downward facing camera to watch the city and clouds go by at full speed.
Finally, there is phone service, email capability, and even a way to chat with your friends and family in other seats on the plane. You can literally send a text or email message to someone on the ground somewhere and when they reply it will show up on your screen. Well, I’d write more, but I really want to take advantage of this system and start watching… the latest Grey’s Anatomy episode, the movie “Dreamgirls,” and then maybe listen to some sweet radio hits from 1983 like “Der Kommissar,” “Cuts Like a Knife,” and “Electric Avenue” by Eddie Grant. Pure classics.
Hello. I am a goat from Japan.
If this keeps up, your next round the world event will only include airplanes, airports and airport bars. I bet you're hoping you have to circle the airport on account of fog for three hours. As good as economy class is, I think you owe it to us, if not yourself, to find out what happens if you sit in first class during an excursion such as this. It's due dilligence my dear friend, and it must be done. Please investigate.