Budget airlines do not offer in-flight entertainment to reduce operational costs but passengers of
no-frills airlines can now listen to their favourite music or watch movies during flights just as those flying on
full-service carriers .
A Mumbai-based firm has come up with a device called Mint Pod (My Interactive Nano TV), which passengers can hire for Rs 150 per journey to listen to music or watch movies, fashion shows, animation programmes and sports events.
Read: Fly unlimited on Air India for Rs 30,000However, the flip side is that the content is not live. Besides, the passenger has to hold the device in the palm, unlike in the full-service airlines where the in-flight entertainment devices are mounted on seats.
A beginning has been made with Mint Pod being available for GoAir passengers.
Read: AI, pvt carrier battle out on faresSoon this facility will be made available to flyers using other budget airlines as the Mumbai-based technology firm IP Avenue, which has developed this device, is tying up with various airlines.
The passenger needs to ask for the device after boarding, pay for it, use it and then hand it over before alighting.
Mint Pod costs around $200 a piece, while the in-flight entertainment systems fitted in full service airlines are produced by Panasonic and cost more than $2,000 each.
Blog: The Maharaja's Advocate"The idea of on-board entertainment struck me two years ago when I took a flight to Jaipur. The flight was delayed and we only had access to newspapers or news channels at the airport. Mothers were struggling to console crying children and that is how I thought of entertainment for everyone," said Chetan Shah, director, IP Avenue.
"We started providing our service this month. The initial response was disastrous, but now we are witnessing a rise in sales. On June 6, we rented out a record 200 pieces. These devices are mostly in demand on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays," Shah said.
The firm is in talks with Western Railways to provide this service in the Mumbai- Ahmedabad sector. It hopes to start doing so in two months and eventually expand it to others sectors.
Read: How Air India accumulated its debtIP Avenue has tied up with Eros Entertainment for the content for Mint Pod.
"For the first time, somebody has come up with such an idea. We are happy to support this initiative. We will keep changing the content according to demand," said Prashant Gaonkar, vicepresident, in- flight entertainment, Eros Entertainment.
A GoAir spokesperson said that passengers like the initiative and the device is in demand in the metro sectors. "The response has been very encouraging," the spokesperson said.
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