Skift Business Traveler: Virgin America Ups the In-Flight Entertainment Ante

What to Know Now

Virgin America has always been known for leading the industry in-cabin experience, whether that’s with fancy mood lighting or their through their in-flight entertainment (IFE). After toying with competitors and letting them catch up in that latter space, the airline just announced that it’s moving the goalposts again by updating their RED IFE system. The new platform will sport higher resolution, interactive screens and will be loaded with tons of new content that can easily be updated through its Android OS. The result: Virgin America’s continued dominance over a field laggards — and better business for them with the technology-forward millennial generation.

More on Virgin America’s plans can be found on their blog post announcing the news here.

Social Quote of the Day

18 @VirginAmerica aircraft will have Red Beta installed by the end of 2015, the rest in 2016. #PaxEx

– @airlineflyer | Jason Rabinowitz, Data Research Manager @ RouteHappy

Airlines

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Airports

Passengers Seek Compensation From FBI for Retaliatory No-Fly List Actions: Four Muslim men who have accused FBI agents of putting them on a no-fly list because they refused to become informants want to pursue damages against the agents even though the travel ban has been lifted, the men’s lawyers told a federal judge Friday. Read more at Skift

EasyJet’s Using Drones to Check Planes for Lightning Damage: One hazard that comes with traipsing through the skies is that occasionally, you get hit by lightning. Read more at Wired

Denver International Airport Is a Lesson in Infrastructure Investments: There are lots of reasons for bondholders to love Colorado and show no respect for New Jersey. Here’s a big one: infrastructure. Colorado made a huge investment in it and is getting rewarded by investors. New Jersey didn’t and is being punished. Read more at Skift

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Tech

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Twitter Update Will Make It Easier to DM Airlines and Hotels: Using Twitter can be one of the best ways to interact with airlines on a busy travel day. Read more at The Points Guy

Apple Trying to Improve Maps Product With Global Data Collection Project: Apple Inc. cars are driving around cities from Dublin to Oahu, Hawaii, collecting data to improve the company’s much maligned Maps application. Read more at Skift

Hotels

Investor Group With Ctrip Bids To Take Homeinns Hotel Group Private: Homeinns Hotel Group received a buyout offer from investors including Ctrip.com International Ltd. as China’s biggest operator of economy hotels joined a dozen U.S.-listed mainland companies that are seeking to go private. Read more at Skift

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Your Turn

Last week’s IATA conference had plenty of awkward moments from airline and industry CEOs. Read the best of them, curated by our own Marisa Garcia, right here.

Tips and Comments

Can be sent to gm[at]skift[dot]com or to @grantkmartin

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