Playstation Portables To Join The Thomas Cook Airlines Team

Soon, passengers flying Thomas Cook Airlines will have the chance to wave a hearty goodbye to the boring, never-ending flights of years past. Instead, for just a few dollars out of their wallets, passengers will be able to enjoy some of the most cutting-edge portable entertainment technology has to offer, instead of being shown free movies aboard their flight.

In a move similar to the one made by Australian airline Jetstar Airways who recently integrated iPads into their in-flight entertainment, the Manchester-based airline will soon be offering Sony’s Playstation Portable console, commonly referred to as PSP, for rent aboard their flights. The device will reportedly be pre-loaded with enough digital entertainment to keep even the most hyperactive children under its spell- boasting eight feature films and an array of television shows and video games just waiting to be played for as little as £7.50 (roughly $11.20 USD).

The elimination of traditional (aka: free) in-flight entertainment is just one of many amenities disappearing from airlines. According to information compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, extra charges made by airlines that are no longer included in the price of the ticket alone have risen by a jaw-dropping 42 percent, all in only two years time. Given the trend, it’s not a shock that even small airlines are jumping on the charge-for-in-flight-amenities bandwagon.

Surprisingly though, what research has shown is that these extra charges have far from deterred potential customers. After Spirit Airlines opted to charge extra money for customers who wanted to bring luggage on-board the aircraft, many embraced the now cheaper ticket the airline could offer to those who did not want to bring their bags with them on the plane. And Spirit reported a fifty percent increase in ticket sales just days after the announcement.

In a continuation of this trend, Thomas Cook’s chief executive officer, Ian Derbyshire, reported findings indicating that only one in ten passengers currently watch the in-flight entertainment. In doing away with the television shows and movies currently provided, Thomas Cook Airlines undoubtedly hopes to cash in on the trend by providing in-flight entertainment to those willing to pay for it, and allowing their other passengers, who wouldn’t want to watch the in-fligh movie anyway, to pay a little less for their ticket.

[Image: Colourful Zone]