Just like meals served on real plates in economy and in-cabin smoking, things that used to be a common sight on planes are for a different generation nothing other than a relic of the past.
For many generations, rifling through the magazine found in the pocket of the seat in front was a core part of the flying experience — United Airlines (UAL) ' Hemispheres magazine has been getting published since 1992 and racked up numerous awards for its travel writing on the destinations to which the airline flies.
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But with so much of reading now being done digitally, United just confirmed that it would be putting out its last print version of Hemispheres in September and moving the magazine online.
Hemispheres to cease print operations for digital-only version
"A digital experience allows us to make Hemispheres even better — we can reach a wider audience, offer more personalized content and tell richer stories," a United spokesperson confirmed to Modern Retail, which was the first to break the news.
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The magazine is already available to read digitally through United's app and in-flight entertainment system. When it comes to the changes that it planes to introduce, the airline hinted at content that is "more personalized" and changes depending on "the destinations [travelers] are flying to" as well as wider accessibility to "enlarged text and translations."
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'Letting travelers learn about the destinations they are flying to'
"We will be able to create content that is more personalized, relevant and accessible, letting travelers learn about the destinations they are flying to and enabling them to take content with them — no matter where they are in the world to enhance their trips," reads a letter United sent to staff that was later also made public. "We will also be able to better meet the accessibility needs of our customers with enhanced digital functionality coming soon like screen reading, enlarged text and translations into eight languages."
While all of these changes will mean that travelers will have more travel content to read rather than less, the immediacy of the physical magazine in front of you pushed many to read it in a way that another option amid the many movies and games on the in-flight system may not. Many travelers also carry a certain nostalgic association with thumbing through airline magazines during flights even if they no longer read physical content in their day-to-day lives.
"Hemispheres was a great way to kickoff the work week, or unwind after a long week away, and I enjoyed the simplicity of being fully disconnected for a few hours each week," writes the ATX Jetsetter blogger. "It also took me back to my childhood, in an era before IFE screens where I would read every magazine cover to cover and, in most cases bring them home with me."
When it comes to in-flight magazines, United was the last mainstream U.S. airline standing. Delta (DAL) was the first to phase out the print version of Sky Magazine during the pandemic, while American Airlines (AAL) followed a year after and retired American Way in June 2021.
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