• USA Today, Wednesday, September 13, 2006 12:04 PM

In a bid to put more passengers in its seats, Delta Air Lines will announce today that it's upgrading its seat backs. A new in-flight entertainment system will give every passenger on long domestic flights access to on-demand movies, TV, music and games. Delta's initiative represents the U.S. airline industry's most extensive entertainment programming. Executives at Delta, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, hope the new entertainment will lure long-haul domestic passengers away from competitors and bolster revenue. "We needed to have a transcontinental product we can be proud of," says Delta COO Jim Whitehurst. "This is designed to help us gain [market] share." When installation of the seatback system is complete, every passenger in first class and coach on U.S. flights of four hours or more will be able to choose from 20 movies, 24 channels of live TV, 1,600 songs and 10 video games. Movies will cost $5 in coach, but are free in first class. Games, songs and TV will be free.

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