March 21, 2007 - AMERICAN Airlines has started installing handheld IFE players from Californian-based IMS in the business-class cabins of its 58 Boeing 767-300s.

The move is the latest step in the carrier’s 767-300 upgrade project, which is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. The IFE work involves the installation in each business-class seat of provision that allows the 10.6in-screen device to operate in two different ways. Depending on what the passenger wants, it can remain docked in the seatback, receiving power from the aircraft, or it can be removed and placed where it can be best viewed, running on battery power. Users will also be issued with Bose QuietComfort 3 noise-cancelling headsets.

The IMS players can offer up to 14 films, up to 15 hours of pre-loaded television and news programmes, 50 music CDs, 10-15 music videos, 14 American Airlines-branded audio channels, headline news stories and a variety of games. Language options vary by market and aircraft, and can include English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Italian.

American’s new business cabin also features fully adjustable lie-flat seats, interlocking tray tables, the ability to track the seat forward for added privacy, intelligent lighting, and ergonomically designed overhead bins. 

The 767-300s are operated on most of the airline’s transatlantic services, and on select routes within the United States and to Latin America. American expects to have the revamped offering on all of its routes between New York and Europe by early this summer.