by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:30 AM ET, Mon October 16, 2023
United Airlines highlighted the capabilities of its new
Bluetooth-enabled planes and announced plans to grow in-flight connectivity
across most of its fleet in the coming years.
As part of United Next, the carrier’s plan to modernize and
grow its fleet, the airline currently boasts Bluetooth connectivity on more
than 100 planes and expects to expand the service to about 800 aircraft by
2032.
In addition to connecting to the carrier’s new seatback
screens, travelers can use other innovative features when using AirPods Pro,
including Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio.
“United was the first U.S. airline to roll out Bluetooth,
and when we saw Apple's new AirPods features, we knew it could be a game
changer for our customers and our employees,” United Chief Information Officer Jason
Birnbaum said.
Now available for all AirPods Pro (2nd generation),
Conversation Awareness lowers the volume when the user starts speaking, making
communicating with a flight attendant when ordering food and beverages easier.
Adaptive Audio is a new listening mode that blends
Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation, adjusting the noise control
based on the sound in a user’s environment.
“People want to stay connected while they're in the air, but
there's also a lot of interactions between our crew and customers – the
technological combination of wireless connectivity, Conversation Awareness and
Adaptive Audio result in a great experience for everyone,” Birnbaum continued.
To connect to the Bluetooth installed on United's new and retrofitted
planes, passengers select the Bluetooth icon near the bottom of the seatback
screen monitor, place their devices in pairing mode, select their headphones
from the list and enjoy whatever entertainment they choose.
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