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American Airlines Bringing Back Seatback Screens — Customer Chief Says “Stay Tuned”

American Airlines is considering reinstating seatback entertainment screens on domestic aircraft, according to its Chief Commercial Officer Heather Garboden. This reversal would undo a decade-long strategy where the airline removed screens to cut costs, betting passengers would use personal devices instead. The move signals American's broader effort to improve passenger experience and boost its Net Promoter Score.

2 May 2026Source: View from the Wing

Why it matters

Seatback screens are a significant quality-of-life amenity for passengers, and their return would represent a major competitive differentiator in the domestic market where Delta and other carriers maintained superior in-flight entertainment offerings. This indicates American Airlines is prioritizing passenger experience improvements as a direct revenue driver, with each NPS point worth $50-100 million to the airline.