According to a press release put out by American Airlines, the company will provide its passengers with 30 minutes of free TikTok, allowing them to watch at least 10 of the new longer format videos. If you don't have the TikTok application installed on your device, you will be able to download them for free while in the air.
"American Airlines, which has the fastest Wi-Fi on more aircraft than any other U.S. carrier, just added TikTok to its roster of free inflight offerings. Without having to purchase Wi-Fi, customers travelling on Viasat-equipped narrowbody aircraft can get 30-minutes of free access to TikTok, an entertainment platform powered by a global community of creatives. This is a promotional offering beginning Aug. 2, 2021.”
This move that provides free TikTok to passengers in the air comes as the company attempts to bring peoples attention back to flying since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a massive dip in the number of people travelling, especially via air. American Airlines also lets its users access free Facebook Messenger in-flight providing them with connection to the outside world during air travel.
American Airlines is not the only airline providing such features to enhance the flying experience. United Airlines has added significant tech upgrades to its in-flight services and now allows passengers to order in-flight snacks and have provided Bluetooth audio support for in-seat screens.
According to the press release, the airline only intends to introduce this feature as a trial.
“Trials like this one and others that customers travelling on Viasat-equipped narrowbody flights have free access to, like Facebook Messenger and Messenger Kids, help American evaluate offerings to ensure the best experience for customers throughout their journey.”
According to a CNET report, the length and the success of this trial will depend entirely on customer feedback.
Clarissa Sebastian, Managing Director of Premium Customer Experience & Onboard Products said "Customers play the lead role in helping us better understand what content they want during their inflight experience and TikTok is one of the platforms they love on the ground,"
However, this in-flight trial feature is not available across all American Airlines offerings and can be availed exclusively on the narrow-body aircraft which comes equipped with the Viasat Wi-Fi system. While many planes on the American’s roster are narrow-body, planes like the Boeing 787 are not and while American has quite a few different Wi-Fi providers, not all of them are Viasat so having Wi-Fi on the flight won’t necessarily mean free access to TikTok.
American Airlines claim that one can find a ton of content on the platform including content from niches like Travel inspiration, off-the-beaten-path locations and travel tips, Animal and nature videos, Comedians and pop culture expert, Sports, classic car videos and car tips, Music and dance trends, Wellness tips and beauty tutorials, Career advise for summer internships, resume building and finance.
While not every passenger would want to sit through their fight looking at TikToks about building the perfect resume, it is fascinating to have that feature available.
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