FlightLink Fun
by TDi
Continental Airlines has recently hurled themselves into the electronic age, or for that matter, taken a step back into the pre-Industrial Revolution era.
With the introduction of FlightLink, the new computer terminal/screen on the back of every seat in almost all of their airplanes, a newly enhanced way of communication has been made available.
However, don't just expect to sit down, buckle up, and surf the Internet for free, or even at all. There are several free features, such as reading the latest entertainment news and getting connecting gate information. All the other features of the service are made available exclusively for those of us with an arsenal of major credit cards. You know, the standard ones, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, Carte Blanche, American Express, JCB, Amoco Torch.
Wondering why I didn't mention your local Bell calling card? Well, these clunkers do not accept telephone calling cards! Unlike their older siblings (such as GTE Airfone and Seatfone), FlightLinks just doesn't take calling cards. Not even for an ordinary, COCOTs-like, expensively billed telephone call! Nada. Zilch.
The aspects of the system are quite intricate, but simple enough for even my computer-illiterate family members to operate. Once in your seat, there is a grayscale screen about 4.5" x 5.5" in size directly in front of you. To activate the screen, which is either dim or playing cheesy ads until activation, pull the "handset" from the right arm of your seat.
The "handset" is actually a two-sided controller connected by a wire (or group of wires) slightly thicker than that of a mouse cable. On one side, there is a smaller-than-average phone with the buttons you would expect to see on a cellular. The other side has a QWERTY keyboard layout with a Nintendo-like directional controller on the left hand side of the keys.
To the right of the keyboard is a blue button supposedly used to control the built-in "arcade games" of FlightLink. The most interesting component of the handset is the magnetic stripe reader built into the side of the unit. It performs all of one function: scans your mag stripe cards and then tells you they're invalid, or not usable with the service (at least that's what happened with my Blockbuster Video card). Returning the handset to its housing will deactivate the screen once more.
System Layout (From Main Menu)
1.) Telephone. Nothing special here. Just have your credit card ready, and a really high credit limit.
2.) Communications. FaxGram, Data Link (9600 bps), Conference Calling, Passenger Paging (not really... this has been mostly covered in older 2600 issues), wordZXpressed Transcription Services.
3.) Video Arcade. Choices of BlackJack, Video Poker, Golf Solitaire, Slot Machine, Keno, Space Miner, Tic-Tac-Toe, Golf, Stuffin' the Briefcase, Fascination Solitaire, Cascade, Apples & Oranges, Freakin' Funky Fuzzballs, and Puzzle. All for U.S. $5.00 for the whole flight (good for about 20 minutes, then boredom).
4.) Travel Services. Avis Reservations - free (the reservations, not the car); Limo Reservations - free (same deal here); Flight Reservations - free; Airport Layout - free. Actually quite interesting, if you've got a lot of time to spare. Look at airport maps for some of the more important (Continental-wise) airports in the world; Connecting Gate - free. This is by far one of the most useful features on the service. It's good to know what your next connecting gate will be ahead of time, and then have it re-told to you by the "gate agent" when you land.
5.) Gifts and Shopping. Here the famous SkyMall has set up previews of some items of their very select line of merchandise. Hint: Also featured in the full-color catalog directly in front of you. Try the seat pocket. My favorite item was the "Personal Laminator," but alas, it didn't get displayed in SkyMall's preview area. You can also order over the phone part of FlightLink for free using these screens.
6.) Information Services. The "information" presented here includes stocks (delayed up to 15 minutes, just like AOL... uhhhh... shudder), entertainment news (a freebie for now), and various news head-lines from major U.S. cities. The U.S. cities info screens are nothing more than promos for each city covered. However, that may change in the near future. For now, it's pretty pathetic. Oddly enough, you are told that you won't be billed for using the stocks connection, but they make you swipe a card anyway. Hmmm...
Conclusion
All in all, I had much more fun playing with a friend's new Dell Latitude laptop during the recent flight I took.
The FlightLink system has potential, but it just hasn't gotten to the point where everyone is dying to whip out their plastic and have in-flight conference calls like there was no tomorrow.
Continental has set the standard for now, but with any luck, a much more advanced system will be in place on all airlines for your next spring break trip.
One more thing, for those of you wishing to send a "page" to someone on a plane with FlightLink (first of all you would have to make sure that was the case, don't ask how), you can find out just how it really deceives you by calling: 1-800-SKY-WAVE