Inside the quiet sanctuary of Suite 1A, Julian was leaning back, feeling thoroughly pleased with himself. He tapped the massive HD touchscreen embedded in the pod’s side panel, selecting a critically acclaimed Italian drama to watch during dinner. Suddenly, the screen flickered violently, emitted a sharp electronic chime, and completely wiped his selection from the display. In its place, the system launched into the airline’s standard, unskippable corporate welcome video, featuring a cheerful announcer discussing company history.
Julian frowned, poking his finger firmly against the glass to hit the back button. The monitor completely ignored his touch. He pressed harder, his frustration rising, but the touch controls were entirely unresponsive. The video played on at full volume, filling the small enclosure with enthusiastic background music and marketing spiels.