As if Netflix’s hold over us wasn’t strong enough, the streaming company has announced it will soon be following us into the skies in in-flight entertainment.
The streaming service will extend bandwidth-efficient tech originally built for mobile devises to airline carriers across the globe, beginning in 2018.
The idea is to allow airlines to offer cheap, or at times free, Wi-Fi to passengers to stream Netflix on their personal devices.
Netflix made the announcement at the 2017 Airline Passenger Experience EXPO in Long Beach California on Monday, with the company also claiming airlines can save up to 75 per cent in bandwidth costs through the partnership.
If airlines choose to work with Netflix, passengers will have access to the Netflix content available in their country, although will have to already have an account to access the service.
Variety is reporting Netflix has said the move would benefit to airlines by helping them build “sustainable model” around low-cost or free-in-flight Wi-Fi.
Murmurs of Netflix going airborne began circulating in late November of 2015, when Variety reported the streaming service had partnered with Virgin America and would broadcast House of Cards and Orange is the New Black to passengers’ mobiles, tablets and laptops.
Netflix is currently available in every country except China, North Korea, Crimea or Syria due to U.S. government restrictions.
