All in-flight entertainment systems are created equally

Modern travelers know the drill You get wedged into your seat, you wait for takeoff, then you spend 30 minutes futzing with whatever entertainment options are to be found on the seat-back entertainment system, if it works. Then you get bored, shut it off or turn it to the real-time map display, and turn on your iPod, laptop, or Nintendo DS to while away the rest of the trip.

To be sure, not all in-flight entertainment systems are created equally. Virgin America's system, which offers live TV, tons of on-demand movies, and the ability to order food, is second to none among domestic carriers. On Virgin flights, these systems are regularly and widely used by virtually everyone on the plane.

Other carriers aren't so lucky. If you're not interested in whatever meager movie selection the plane is carrying, you're largely left with 12 songs on endless rotation on the in-flight radio system. And god help you if you need to go to the bathroom. There's no pausing these movies once they get started.

These entertainment systems may be decidedly primitive, but they're hardly cheap. Putting a video screen into every seat on a plane costs millions and requires a lot of maintenance. And if no one's going to use it, well, what's the point?

That's the question many airlines, which continue to face slow demand, fed-up consumers, and bankruptcy proceedings, are asking themselves these days. Why spend money on these systems when bring-your-own options are becoming commonplace?

Two trends are likely to hasten the demise of in-flight entertainment. First is the expansion of Wi-Fi into more and more planes, something I've written about extensively on this blog and which opens up the entire universe to travelers. Second, and more subtle, is the increasing prevalence of USB and A/C power outlets on jets. Few laptops get sustained battery life when playing a DVD of more than three hours or so, and that's just not enough to get you from SFO to JFK. With power ready for delivery even for a fee, you can watch all the movies you want. and never have to worry whether the last guy that touched the game controller for the seat-back entertainment system washed his hands after he went to the lavatory.What do you think? Would you give up the little map and the pay per view movies in exchange for USB and a standard 120-volt plug at your seat? I would.