On Air India AI 2531 from Mumbai to Hyderabad, I saw something ingenious: the seat had a phone holder built in.
It stretches up and down, so it should fit a wide range of mobiles. Put your phone in, play a video, and you have your own in-flight screen. This flight didn’t have a screen, so this is a pretty good substitute.
Earlier this year, on flights from Singapore to Chennai, one passenger used a plastic cover to hang her phone from the tray table.
Another used his phone case and the headrest cover.
Air India has been consciously adding these to its newer cabins for at least a couple of years. In June 2024, it announced PED (personal electronic device) holders across Business, Premium Economy and Economy on its new A320neo cabins.
Nice work, Air India. I suspect they aren’t the only airline doing this, and likely weren’t the first. But this is the first time I’ve seen it.