How airlines decide which movies are shown onboard

When passengers are booking a flight, especially a long one, they anticipate a good In-Flight Entertainment system, one of the features that makes the time at 35,000 feet bearable.

Even though it could appear that the movies are chosen randomly, airlines pay a lot of time and money to select the proper titles for their clients. In this article, you will get an insight into how the process of selecting movies for In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) is determined by the airlines.

The content selection process

Airlines usually have their own movie selection teams or hire content service companies to select their movies. For instance, Delta has an In-Flight Entertainment team and some of them travel to film festivals to look for more content.

United Airlines currently works with more than a hundred content partners to complete its list of movies, TV shows, and podcasts. These teams study data, track trends, and get feedback from passengers to develop numerous and interesting movie selections. Content service providers help in developing the concept collections.

The choice of which movies are offered is determined by data. Airlines monitor passenger’s viewing preferences like the most popular films and the time spent on them.

For instance, Delta Air Lines has improved the content selection and focused on Hispanic heritage for September and October 2024 as the airline supported the Hispanic heritage month. As part of the codeshare agreement with Aeromexico, Delta offered content from Televisa/Univision with movies in September and TV series in October.

Also, the external feedback from the surveys and social media postings is taken into account by the airlines. For example, United included “The Devil Wears Prada” because it saw a new interest in the sequel to the movie.

Is there 'censorship' on IFE?

Yes, in most cases, the airlines rely on third-party content providers to clean up and remove any prohibited content in the entertainment material. While the airlines decide which movies to provide, it is third-party editing companies that decide on specific cuts in accordance with the airline’s requirements.

This is done for many reasons, including passenger safety concerns, culture and religion and finally, sexually explicit material such as violence, nudity and language.

To cater to everyone in society, the movies go through the ‘airline edit’, which makes them safe for children to view. The practice is a topic of debate: some people consider it respectful to diverse audiences, while others view it as excessive censorship that can undermine artistic integrity.

One of the problems which airlines face is the need to consider cultural taboos while at the same time responding to the shift in viewers’ expectations and meeting the legal requirements of different countries.

Airlines also do not invest in types of movies that may cause discomfort.

Films about plane crashes are allowed on In-Flight Entertainment systems, but airlines are very careful.

Some airlines, such as Delta, may not show such films because they may make passengers feel uncomfortable, while others, such as Virgin Atlantic, may show them, provided they warn passengers beforehand.

In an attempt to meet the needs of all passengers, airlines usually use content warnings to guide passengers while providing entertainment for those who do not have anxiety disorders.

Impact of partnerships on IFE content

Partnerships have a critical role in defining In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) and the quality of content provided to the passengers.

Many airlines work with content suppliers such as Anuvu , which owns a large portion of the aviation content market, to source and provide relevant multimedia content.

This way, different airlines can obtain a carefully chosen set of movies, TV shows, and even live performances that would not only fit the image of the airline company, but also would offer a suitable choice for passengers. Anuvu attends film festivals in search of new content and is involved with brands to provide exclusive programming.

Sponsorships also affect the kind and uniqueness of the content that is produced. Airlines can bring in specialized content, for example, branded sports events or regional film festivals that add on to the video library.

These arrangements benefit both airlines and brands: passengers get to view interesting content, while sponsors get an opportunity to have their content seen by the passengers.

How much do airlines spend on IFE?

Spafax, a global provider of IFE content, estimates that global air carriers update their libraries every 30 days, and that the top carriers spend between $150-200 million annually on content acquisition and distribution. The selection process starts months before the movies get to be aired on seat back screens.

Airlines rely on Communications Service Providers (CSPs) who directly deal with movie studios and distributors to determine the content to be displayed. These providers assist airlines to overcome the tangled system of licensing and distribution rights within regions.

For a limited time license, one movie costs between $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the popularity of the movie and how current it is. For instance, Dune, which grossed $400 million in theaters, could bring $2.7 million in airline sales, with lower-budget films getting a more significant percentage.

Deals depend on parameters such as the passenger capacity of the airline, and larger airlines like Turkish Airlines get better content because of the exposure.

IFE spending is still increasing, and the industry is expected to reach $6.6 Billion by 2030, making passengers have a wider choice of new and interesting content during the flight.

How has In-Flight Entertainment changed over the years?

IFE has evolved significantly since its start in 1921 with Aeromarine Airways, which showed a film called Howdy Chicago to passengers on a Felixstowe F. 5 flying boat as it flew around Chicago.

The first scheduled IFE started with a projected movie on TWA in 1961 .

This was followed by great innovation in the early 1980s when Northwest Airlines began funding personal LCD screens on seat backs.

These innovations moved to modern LED Screens with an extensive content portfolio, USB charging, and better-quality content. However, IFE is still used in the form of seat-mounted screens, which provide content that fits passengers' field of vision.

Some airlines are gradually migrating to streaming services, which means that the content is downloaded to the passenger's device through the airplane's WiFi, which may be the next stage of the evolution of IFE technology.

The overall quality of IFE has risen, with more advanced screens on many carriers. The largest IFE screen measures 43 inches and is used in Japan Airlines' Airbus A350-1000 and All Nippon Airways' Boeing 777-300ER. The next one is Emirates, which provides 32-inch screens in first class. Qatar Airways provides 26-inch screens, and Singapore Airlines' A380 first-class has 24-inch screens.

The airline with the best IFE in the world

Emirates won the World's Best In-Flight Entertainment Award at the 2024 World Airline Awards by Skytrax, ahead of Cathay Pacific Airways in 2nd and Qatar Airways in 3rd place.

The airline's ice entertainment system offers over 5,000 channels of content.

Emirates’ In-Flight Entertainment system has the best collection of movies , TV programs, music, podcasts and games in more than 40 languages and with up to 6,500 channels.

The Emirates app allows passengers to create their own playlists, and there is programming available for children, with 150 children’s channels, as well as programming that is seasonal. These are Spotify connectivity, improved moving maps, exterior cameras, and exclusive behind-the-scenes programs on onboard dining.