Overview
- American Airlines, which CNBC reported Thursday is in active talks, is seriously considering restoring seatback screens on most narrow‑body jets with an internal decision possible next month.
- The review also covers a connectivity upgrade to low Earth orbit satellite service from SpaceX’s Starlink or Amazon’s Leo, which promises faster speeds and lower lag than current systems.
- American is discussing an Amazon tie‑up for onboard content and shopping that could feature Prime video, music, and the option to use AAdvantage miles for purchases, though no deals are finalized.
- The carrier recently made Wi‑Fi free on most planes through Viasat, yet competitors like United and Delta have pressed ahead with modern seatback systems and, in United’s case, Starlink rollout.
- Reinstalling screens after removing them nearly a decade ago would be costly and slow, likely timed with heavy maintenance so planes can be retrofitted in phases, and could open new ad and e‑commerce revenue while giving families and frequent flyers a simpler, plug‑and‑play option.