I’ve been thinking about the confession I made last week about watching five movies in a row on a recent long-haul flight. Part of me thinks it’s funny that I actually did that. But I also recognize that the information addict in me was on quite a bender that day! I rarely watch TV and view movies much less than I’d like to at home. But part of that is a self-imposed ban, otherwise I wouldn’t get anything done! Which may explain why I got sucked into the in-flight entertainment options on Qantas that day: there are over 60 movies to choose from and 200 television shows. For someone who is easily overwhelmed by choices, this is a frightening reality, especially when trapped for hours with a tiny TV at your fingertips. Instead of making just one viewing selection, I kept making them…over and over again, simply because I could!
Which got me thinking…I’m not a frequent flyer to anywhere, but if I was, I might want to have the option of having No Options! Let’s say I flew from New York to Beijing on a regular basis, at least several times a month. Besides catching up on work, I’d probably like to use that time to write a letter to a friend or finish one of those novels that has been collecting dust on my nightstand, activities that do not require use of a personalized TV. So — is there any airline out there that would let me choose a seat that does NOT come equipped with an in-flight entertainment system? Call me crazy, but some information junkies like me who need to decompress might welcome the chance to choose a non-tech seat for certain flights. Anyone with me on this one? Or do you all think I’ve lost the plot and just need to work on my media self control? I know I can choose NOT to turn on the darn thing, but can’t the airlines help me out so I don’t get hopelessly distracted…all the time?