Monarch beams films to Android and iOS during flights with new MPlayer app

1 Aug 2014

James Temperton

Brits fleeing the country to catch some summer sunshine can use phones and tablets to stay entertained on Monarch flights

Monarch is installing media servers on all of its planes, with passengers able to download Android and iOS apps to access films, BBC TV shows, music and destination information from their phones and tablets. The new MPlayer app, available from the Apple AppStore and Google Play will give passengers access to in-flight entertainment for £3.99 per person, per flight.

Six of Monarch’s fleet of planes already have the technology; planes carrying the tail numbers G-ZBAF, G-ZBAJ, G-ZBAK, G-ZBAL, G-ZBAG and G-OZB will let customers that have downloaded the MPlayer app before their flight stream in-flight entertainment to iPads, iPhones, Android phones and tablets and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. All of Monarch’s remaining planes are due to receive the upgrade in the coming months and into 2015.

The MPlayer app costs £3.99 per device per flight, so passengers not running away to an idyllic Greek island forever will need to fork out for their return trip as well. MPlayer comes with five films, 50 episodes of shows from BBC Worldwide, 50 music albums and digital versions of in-flight magazines and destination guides.

The technology used by MPlayer has been developed by onboard wirelss and in-flight entertainment company AeroFi. Monarch said that all aircraft would be fitted with the new technology during their scheduled maintenance checks. Monarch’s new media servers are being rolled-out alongside newly designed seat backs, which include holders for tablets.

The app will also include free digital versions of Monarch’s two in-flight magazines, reviews of restaurants at your destination pulled from TripAdvisor and bar reviews supplied by BarChick.

“MPlayer has something for all ages, a perfect way to entertain the kids or catch up with top quality BBC comedies, dramas and documentaries,” Tim Williamson, Monarch’s customer experience and marketing director, said of the announcement. “MPlayer’s content will be refreshed regularly to make sure our customers have access to the latest programming whilst on-board.”