According to a press release issued by American Airlines, free TikTok has come on some of the airline’s flights (via CNET). Passengers will be allowed to use the app for free for up to 30 minutes, giving them enough time to view at least 10 of the new, lengthier TikToks. If you don’t already have the app, the airline claims you’ll be able to get it for free while in the flight.
The decision to make TikTok available to customers comes as airlines strive to refocus emphasis on flying after the number of people travelling fell during the epidemic. United, one of its competitors, has also been adding digital enhancements to its fleet, including the ability for customers to pre-order in-flight food and the addition of planes that enable bluetooth audio for in-seat displays. American recently enabled customers to use Facebook Messenger for free in-flight, providing them with at least some connectivity to the outside world — something that some of its competitors have done for it and other messaging applications for years.
The promotion is a “trial,” according to the airline’s press release. According to CNET, the length of the trial will be determined by consumer feedback.
If you’re arranging your flights around free TikTok, bear in mind that it doesn’t appear that every aircraft will have access to it. The special offer is limited to narrow-body aircraft equipped with Viasat Wi-Fi systems, according to American Airlines. Many of the planes in the airline’s fleet appear to be narrow-body, although planes like the Boeing 787 do not. American also employs a variety of Wi-Fi providers on its flights, so even if a flight offers Wi-Fi, it may not be from Viasat.
According to the airline’s press release, passengers can expect to find a plethora of content on the platform, including “travel inspiration” and “career advice.” While it’s difficult to imagine many people sitting on a plane watching TikToks about how to make a resumé, spending a half hour looking up short videos about wherever you’re going isn’t the worst idea. Let’s just hope that strange phoney commercials with Flo Rida songs don’t take up too much of your time.
