You’re either going to think this is awesome, and can’t wait to try this on your next American Airlines flight – or you’ll be appalled and finally agree with the Dallas-based airline that seat back video is a relic of the past, and applaud their decision to remove screens from their narrowbody aircraft.
Passenger Michael Tiano started a group chat with everyone on board his American Airlines flight,
Using the screen in front of him, he used the in-flight chat feature, adding every seat number on the plane.
…The video begins with a shot of the packed flight, accompanied by text which reads: “Get on a plane and make a groupchat with the whole plane.”
He then films his fingers scrolling on the screen which shows messages from passengers including “Leave me alone,” “wwhere are tthe drinks” and “I’m over American Airlines lol.”
A few people did say “hi,” but largely Tiano’s idea was poorly received. He captioned the video, writing: “These people have had enough…”
Nearly 2 million people have seen the video on TikTok. Some of the responses capture the experience perfectly, like how this “brings me back to the group chats on Nintendo DS back in middle school” and that the ability to do this is actually a reason to choose American over competitors.
@michael_tiano These people have had enough… #travel #plane #fyp #explore #trending
Of course while American Airlines pulls seat back entertainment screens out of planes, Delta continues to add them and even United Airlines has told employees they’ll do the same – so there’s hope for this functionality going forward still.
I’m surprised this hasn’t been disabled given the times. I am sure the days are numbered for chat features on seat backs after this.
Yuk. I avoid economy flight/aircraft with touchscreen seat back. Bain of my life. Trying to relax or sleep on a red eye when the selfish idiot behind is gaming on a touchscreen bashing my head!
Are you kidding guys? This is awesome! I can’t wait to get on my next flight and have a chat with fellow passengers. If you want to sleep, read, or watch your movie, you can still do that, but don’t take the freedom to socialize, kid, or just talk to others. We live in the era of social media so as long as we don’t start talking politics (LOL) it would be just a lot of fun.
This is the first good thing I heard coming out of AA management in a long time
I’m in the camp that this is awesome! I can’t believe how paranoid and grumpy the other camp is!
Great way for Qnon and Proud Boys to communicate before they take over the plan. I need less not more texting and chat in my life.
And sunviking82 provides an immediate example of the fundamental problem this will introduce. Fights will break out because some people will feel it necessary to insult others. That’s who they are, and they just can’t help it.
Gate Lice.
Lends new meaning to the term ‘Get a Life’.
This isn’t a new feature and it hasn’t been a problem for what, decades? Why now? Why are some people so hypersensitive that an ignorable chat pop up throws them into a mind-twisting tizzy that requires (in their mind) the feature to be cancelled? Some of these same people text while driving and run into you on the sidewalk while they stare at their phones. These are just people actively looking for a reason to be offended. Screw them.
Reminds me of the AOL Group chats from the 90s…. If you did not want to chat you left. if you did then you stayed.
@tomri. What an incredibly novel idea ! Why don’t people do this more ?
The RED entertainment system from Virgin America has a chat feature in production during the early/mid 2010’s, so this is very late to the party.
Only difference here would be that passengers loved Virgin America while AA…
*HAD a chat system – not has. Sorry.
Virgin America hasn’t been flying for a while, but were innovative from the start. I still miss flying with them.
Horrible. What next: invitation to be in a group prayer? Karaoke? Poker? It has the potential to be very intrusive in the hands of zealots, weirdos and sleazebags…
World needs more prayer
@Legend and @Paolo: If you fly on American Airlines, the world needs more aircraft karaoke.
Just no.
Eww.