Back to the OP question. Everybody has a different technique. When a world starts, your airline has 1 plane & like $7.25 million. Don't be concerned w/ negative cash-on hand @ the start of month & mid-month (payroll, etc). If you don't want to venture into bonds---spend the $7.25 mil on LEASING new aircraft. More aircraft obviously = more revenue. More revenue obviously = less possibility of running in the red for any period of time.
The only problem with bonds, is if your running a truly poor airline---missing payments (I think 6 & you go bankrupt) & when you actually have $$$ to spend, your credit rating being so poor that you've reached the maximum allowable # of aircraft you can lease.
The way I play, and no I have never had the patience to remain engaged for entire time so I just cease operations...is to take out 3 bonds immediately---2 $ 5 million & 1 $2.5 million & order a bunch of new planes. My credit stinks & for like a month I'm on thin-ice regarding new aircraft orders (obviously my strategy is buy buy buy planes), but when I have the $$$ PURCHASE one of my aircraft (usually the least expensive one) which opens up a slot for me to lease a new aircraft & also begins to restore my credit/while helping my valuation. Pretty quickly things turn favorable & I can order a slew of aircraft & continue to BUY the one's that I already have. As for IFE...ways exist for you to put in place a mid-level offering & generate revenue, so I wouldn't ignore it---I would test it & see in your financials if it is generating any revenue, if not kill-it or re-configure it to be more costly to pax. Just my thoughts.