May 30, 2008 – LIKE British comedian Spike Milligan, who wanted the words “I told you I was ill” inscribed on his gravestone, premium-only carrier Silverjet signalled loud and clear that it was ailing (Inflight Online, May 25). Today the UK-based operation finally gave up the ghost, announcing that it was suspending operations with immediate effect.

The announcement will be another blow for the handheld IFE community. Silverjet gave its passengers the Mezzo service based on e.Digital eVU players. Earlier joint casualties in the premium-only sector were MAXjet (digEcor, then e.Digital), which called it a day at the end of last year, and Eos (IMS), which folded a month ago.

Silverjet’s distress has been evident for some time but its death throes were brief. The company announced a week ago that it had yet to receive further cash promised by US/UAE-based luxury development company Viceroy Holdings, and made it clear that it needed the money urgently. “Silverjet has not received any further sums from Viceroy,” today’s announcement reads.

That would appear to be that for Silverjet, though it goes on to say that it’s still talking to investors “but has yet to conclude such discussions to its satisfaction.”

Last man standing among the original premium-only operators is Paris-based L’Avion, which offers digEcor players to its customers. But waiting in the wings are two new ventures from British Airways – OpenSkies, due to offer IMS Company entertainment following launch on June 19, and a London City-New York operation with a pair of Airbus A318s – and Kuwait’s Wataniya Airways, currently scheduled to take to the air next January. BA has made no mention of IFE on the A318s yet, while Wataniya promises to reveal details of its cabin product later in the year.