Some airlines provide passengers with seatback entertainment screens. Others expect you to use your own devices. But when you’re in close proximity to other passengers, how you entertain yourself to pass the time on the flight isn’t only your personal business.
There’s a tension between individual freedom and shared space etiquette onboard – since so much entertainment contains violence, nudity, and crass language (whether it’s something you bring on your own device, or even that you stream from the airline’s content library).
- R-rated films, especially provided by the airline, surely are acceptable? If the airline provides it then it must be ok, even if children are nearby?
- Plus, everyone gets their own screen. Growing up near New York City I learned that you create your own zone of privacy amidst the crowds just by ignoring everyone else.
- But it’s hard to keep graphic content away from kids at most seats, since the screens aren’t really shielded. Maybe watch the stuff, but at least skip past the awkward scenes? Does the rule here change if you’re in coach with much less screen privacy versus a business class suite with doors?
I think there are some things that we can probably all agree cross a line in terms of what to watch on a plane. But sometimes it isn’t so clear.
- A flight attendant once shared on their Facebook feed a story about a passenger taking such a long time in the lavatory that another passenger expressed concern and eventually the crew started to suspect a medical emergency. After much knocking he came out, iPad in hand. He went in there to watch a movie. At least he hadn’t watched it at his seat.
- I’m never watching that kind of movie. But what about an HBO or Showtime drama? What movies are ok and which ones aren’t? If it’s on the inflight entertainment does that make it ok? (I’ve scrolled past What about inflight entertainment Mark Wahlberg’s Boogie Nights as an option.)
- In a premium cabin you usually have a bit more space, and maybe high walls. Does the seat you’re in dictate what kind of movie you can watch?
United Airlines Polaris Business Class
When you report an incident like this you have to hope, that your flight attendant isn’t watching porn themselves. Air Canada once warned pilots to stop leaving porn in the cockpit. And Etihad pilots once wrote up their inflight wifi for being too slow to download porn.
Do you bring your own shows to watch inflight? If so, what shows do you rely on to keep your interest on a long flight? I’m always looking for recommendations and wonder how you handle a more explicit scene?
I’m looking for well-written, well-acted shows that are really engaging — and often that hide crucial details, dropping hints at the end of an episode. That way I don’t get bored and want to keep watching as each one ends, pulling me into the next one. That means as much as I might enjoy Silicon Valley, Ballers or Brooklyn 99, I’m looking less for comedies than for drama.
(HT: Paul H)
Cocaine Bear (uncut version) for the win!!
What can you do when the lady (age 29++) asks you not to watch a movie of any sort on a 5-hour flight “because it ruins the future watching” for her, and then she starts a movie playing. The person in the window seat and I both started movies then, and she screamed at us about ruining her being able to watch a movie.
the family didn’t have to look at some ones screen.
Should’ve flown American Airlines’ non-Flagship, narrow-bodies… no IFE screens to be found. How ‘premium’…
A few years back a friend of mine recommended watching a WWII movie titled “Miracle at Saint Anna” which was entertaining. I’m sitting on the aisle and all of a sudden, this nude scene comes on, and it was a bit embarrassing. I shut it down immediately and fast forwarded the scene after realizing what was happening;
I was totally caught off guard. that said, what if a person chooses to watch the whole scene? I have had this happen in long haul business class flights, but it’s a bit more private and less traffic.
It’s inappropriate to watch programming that children shouldn’t watch when children are in view of your screen.
Glad I entertain myself with something that requires no power and is very portable. It’s called a book. And then when conditions are right I can watch the best show of all, how the earth unrolls below us.
If it’s within the airline’s selection of movies then you should be allowed to watch it. How about families give their children something to keep them entertained so they won’t have to look at someone else’s screen. But in modern day parenting you have to make amends for others’ children-including the ones running amuck in an airline lounge while the parents booze it up.
What @ George says. People like this shoud just stay home.
It has been several years since I’ve used a seatback screen, as I have flown Southwest almost exclusively for the the past twenty years or so. (Going forward, I will not default to them.)
My recollection is that the airlines removed the risque sequences and any mention of aircraft crashes, etc. from the videos available on the seatbacks. Has that changed in recent years?
As to what i would watch on my own device- on a laptop that could be visible to my seatmate or someone walking past me in the aisle, I’d avoid stuff that i suspect could be offensive to average person and be even more careful if my seatmate was a child.
On my phone, that other adults might see only if they made a special effort, I watch whatever I want… which means R rated is fine. The idea of watching X-rated material in flight has no appeal to me.
I wouldn’t watch porn on a plane. But what about horror movies (blood and gore) or police procedural shows (think Law and Order, with dead bodies and autopsies)? Where does it end? I think I would abstain from watching a show if asked by someone sitting next to me. Absent that, I would definitely feel comfortable watching anything on IFE or that I had downloaded from a mainstream streaming service like Netflix.
This is very simple:
1. Airline has reviewed and approved all IFE. Have an issue? Take it up with them.
2. What is offensive is objective. Some folks have fewer issues with nudity and sexuality than others.
3. For some people there are things that are more offensive than nudity.
So sick of people who are equally selfish in their demands and their lack of forgiveness of anyone they wish to come for. People like these parents can be ruthless and twats at the same time.
mind your own business, everyone.
Nudity should be ok has long as genitalia are not shown. Also no gory scenes, like someone shot in the head or mouth.
Interesting food for thought would be built-in IFE privacy screens.
I’ve found the selection of in-flight movies and shows lacking recently. The shows that are good are the same few episodes each time. To Gary’s question, I usually download a movie and an hour or two worth of a TV show (prefer comedy for flights) beforehand on my own device (with flight time multipliers). I also usually bring a book with me, but for whatever reason I don’t like reading on planes, maybe because of the lighting.
If there’s an explicit scene I usually just put my device down for a few minutes or when I hear it’s over. One time I did decide against watching John Wick because there were kids nearby. The whole series I believe is still available on the major domestic carriers.
There shouldn’t be any nudity in any movie that’s shown on an airplane, and that includes your own that you brought on. How is this even a matter of debate? Children should not be exposed to this type of content.
Inflight films are often preceded with a comment that the feature hasn’t been edited from its original content. I’m with those who say if the airline has made it available, then it’s fair game to watch.
This wasn’t always the case! Years ago I watched Love Actually on a plane. Maybe a year later I watched it on television, and imagine my surprise when I realized there had been an entire plot line missing from the airline version lol.
@George Romey – Yours is the most correct answer here.
So let me understand: when your obnoxious kid is playing his tablet without headphones at full volume, putting his grubby hands on all the lounge food, running around the lounge like a lunatic, cry-screaming to get what they want, etc., we are told: stay out of it, don’t tell my kid what to do, and don’t tell me how to parent! Now you want me to parent for you? That’s a no for me, dawg. Cover your kids eyes if you have a problem with what I’m watching.
A book huh? I was once asked by the FAs to talk to the gentleman in 2C on an international flight. He was reading penthouse forum. No pics, just words. He wasn’t being weird, didn’t have a blanket over himself, just reading.
I’ve been watching either an IFE program or something I downloaded and had the good sense to cover the screen if something popped up that could be offensive. Usually I was the one offended LOL.
Is @1990 doing okay? (He’s? idk) not responding to EVERY SINGLE POST.