Alaska Airlines Debuts Enhanced Onboard Entertainment System

Lighter-weight handheld device offers high-tech touch-screens and more first-run Hollywood movies and TV programming

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Apr 14, 2011, 04:52 ET

SEATTLE, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines' advanced new digEplayer devices took to the skies this week, expanding the inflight entertainment option of customers on longer flights. The new system offers touch-screen navigation and is lighter weight and smaller than the previous system.

Alaska's digEplayers boast a varied selection of content, including more new-release movies and television programs, the NFL Network, ReelzChannel Hollywood programming and interactive games. The device can also be connected to the Internet via Alaska Airlines' Gogo inflight Wi-Fi network for an additional fee.

"We're pleased to offer our customers an enhanced entertainment option on our flights," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "The new digEplayer is smaller and lighter than a laptop, has a much longer battery life, and provides exciting and unique content for our travelers."

The new digEplayers are available on most Alaska Airlines flights longer than three hours. The price is $14 on flights longer than 4.5 hours and $8 on flights less than 4.5 hours. Customers receive a $2 discount when they reserve a digEplayer in advance via the airline's alaskaair.com website.

Alaska Airlines debuted its custom-designed digEplayer system in 2003, becoming the first carrier in the world to offer customers portable video-on-demand technology from a convenient handheld device.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009 and 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines