Airlines: Just give us power and Internet! We’ll meet you more than half-way and bring our own displays. You’ll save weight and complexity, and we passengers will get what we want since we’ll bring our own portable displays (iPad, iPhone, laptop, Android tablet, etc.)

The past few months I have flown American, Delta, US Airways, United, Virgin America, Jet Blue, and the regionals Mesa and Skywest. There is no in-flight Internet or seat-back entertainment product feature consistency within a single airline fleet or across the industry. My reference point is economy cabin amenities. First class is treated special and don’t have a lot of first class experience. (But one can dream!)

• American has some WiFi on MD-80 and 737 planes. 12v power ports on some planes, but nothing consistent. And no entertainment systems at all.
• Delta has done a good job with WiFi across the fleet, but no power ports. Some planes have in-flight entertainment.
• United and US Airways don’t seem to offer any significant WiFi or seat-back entertainment on any equipment.
• Jetblue only has their marquee in-flight video system, but no WiFi or power ports.
• Virgin America is the best: WiFi, 110v power, and great in-flight entertainment experience.

So we can applaud Virgin America and Delta, light clapping praise for American and boo United and US Airways.

But in my observation of the recent 3 months of travel, what customers could really use is simple: 110v or 5v USB power at each seat and Internet. Heck, we’ll take the power first, since most of us already bring our own entertainment on iPads and laptops. Just that our batteries usually conk out so we need some juice to survive a six hour flight.

Airlines: Make your life simpler. Portable technologies have matured quickly and will get better. Many of your customers are already carrying devices that duplicate what you are trying to do with seat back entertainment. Save weight and the maintenance of hundreds of video screens. Just give us some juice. And maybe some WiFi.