Music stops on domestic Qantas flights

Qantas has pulled the plug on its radio and music channels on domestic flights, citing a lack of demand.

Qantas says there’s no demand for radio and music channels.

Qantas has pulled the plug on its radio and music channels on domestic flights, citing a lack of demand. The change follows an in-flight entertainment review and affects Boeing 737s with seat-back screens.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the review found fewer than 10 per cent of passengers tuned into radio and music channels.

By contrast, 90 per cent of passengers watched premiere movies and television box-set programs, prompting Qantas to focus investment in its film and TV library. Audiobooks and podcasts would still be available, and international flights would still carry radio and on-demand music.

However, the move to axe radio and music channels was a “missed opportunity to support Australian music”, said music rights organisation APRA AMCOS. Chief executive Dean Ormston said while programming was a matter for Qantas, the group was “deeply disappointed that music, and Australian music in particular”, would not feature.

“In their role as the national carrier, Qantas has the opportunity to literally carry Australian stories in Australian voices to the world via their customers, and tell those stories to music-loving Aussies.”

Qantas said it featured a higher proportion of Australian music than commercial radio.