APS has 70 DigEplayers on United's new carrier
Local product, national test; Media players: Tacoma-based APS has 70 DigEplayers on United's new carrier
JOHN GILLIE
The News Tribune
17 March 2004
The News Tribune
South Sound
A start-up Tacoma airborne entertainment company, APS Inc., might add United Airlines to its customer list if tests of the company's portable entertainment system are successful with United's new low-fare carrier, called "Ted."
Bill Boyer, a baggage handler on leave from Alaska Airlines who is APS president, said Ted is auditioning about 70 of his 2.4-pound media players on flights between Denver and Florida.
Alaska Airlines, which pioneered the use of APS' DigEplayer last year, now offers customers rental media players on some of its longer flights.
Ted spokesman Jason Schechter said the upstart airline (the name comes from the second half of the word "United") is experimenting with rental pricing. During the first two weeks of testing, the airline offered the players to customers for $10 a flight with reasonable success. Ted now is trying lower prices to determine whether that increases business.
The battery-powered players offer as many as 20 full-length movies and hours of television shows and digital music to airline passengers.
Boyer said the players have been appealing to Alaska because that airline can offer passengers on its five- and six-hour transcontinental flights a variety of entertainment without huge investments in rewiring its planes for overhead or seatback screens.
Alaska aircraft have no built-in entertainment systems. Ted's Airbus A-320s have overhead screens that play recorded entertainment.
Ted is considering offering DigEplayers to its passengers because it wants to provide superior service to that of its low-fare rivals, Schechter said. Frontier and JetBlue Airways already offer airborne television programs.
Boyer, who also runs an espresso stand and a day spa in Lakewood, said APS has had serious discussions with several European airlines about offering DigEplayers on their flights. The company likewise is hoping to offer the players to corporate jet fleets.
And on Sunday, APS begins a DigEplayer trial with a trans-Pacific carrier whose identity is still confidential. Boyer said APS is producing players customized with that airline's colors and logo for the test.
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