On my last flight SFO/IAD, I asked the captain if ch 9 would be on. He told me No. And made a point about it too! When I told him I wasn't a lawyer , he still said no.
This is what he told me. He said that many pilots are fed up with our boy Tilton. I was told to write a letter to him and complain. The pilot said this is how they're getting back at upper management... by making it difficult for the passengers.
The pilot said this is how they're getting back at upper management... by making it difficult for the passengers.
By what, turning off Ch9 for the %5 or so of passengers that actually listen to it on any given flight? The people who actually enjoy traveling / aviation?
I still say they should make Ch9 a permanent audio setting and remove the switch to turn it off from the cockpit. People don't have to listen to it if they don't want to. It's one of the last enjoyable features of United, besides E+.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HKBelonger
It has been unavailable recently on the 763s b/w IAD-ORD but on for all my other legs.
I almost wish it had been off the other day on my IAD-LHR flight. There was this awful high pitch background noise that nearly made all the communications inaudible. You really had to turn up the volume (and endure the noise) just to listen. So I did, but it eventually gave me a headache. I have noticed that problem a few times on 767s.
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I know there is sometimes a disconnect between the pilot thinking it is on and it actually being on. On a couple of recent flights, the pilot specifically mentioned listening on Channel 9 but when you went to it pre-takeoff, there was nothing. In both instances, I politely asked the FA to turn it on and they did so.
This was affecting both Channel 9 and all the other channels on the headphones.
By the way, they keep mentioning on Channel 2 (20 x 20) that the top 20 hits change constantly but I swear half of them are the same songs they were playing in January. Hmmmmmmmmm.
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BOS-ORD, ORD-NRT, NRT-SIN, BKK-NRT, NRT-ORD, and ORD-BOS all on my recent trip. I happened to ride the airtrain from Intl to Terminal 1 at ORD with the UA882 captain (NRT-ORD), and I thanked him. He said, "I always have it on; I know it's a unique feature of UA and that our customers enjoy it." (In fact he told me that while seated behind me in 3J on the 777/XI during his rest period, he had it on his headphones too just to "keep up with what's happening.")
One thing I have noticed is the 777 captains seem to be proud to show off Ch9. I routinely do the 259/256 ORD <-> DEN runs and the captain always seems to talk about the unique Ch9 feature. When we deplane from the front of the plane, I always make an effort to thank the cockpit crew for having Ch9 on.
When all the channels are off and the aircraft is on the ground, it's often because the safety video has just ended and the system needs to be reset but has not yet been. Usually I ask an FA to reset it, and after what seems like an eternity, they get around to it as if they were doing me a big favor.
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FWIW, a 90-minute flight to DEN this morning, two emergencies heard on Ch9.
One was a CO flight diverting to SLC because of a passenger "with low blood pressure, low pulse and difficulty maintaining consciousness" (meh, that could be a TSAer).
Other one was a UA on approach to DEN, the plane behind us declaring some emergency, giving DEN approach fuel and number of souls on board. The nature of the emergency wasn't mentioned at the time. Though hearing the pilot say "and we're declaring an emergency" kinda gets your attention.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster CT1K
When all the channels are off and the aircraft is on the ground, it's often because the safety video has just ended and the system needs to be reset but has not yet been. Usually I ask an FA to reset it, and after what seems like an eternity, they get around to it as if they were doing me a big favor.
Most of the times when I have tried to get an FA to reset the IFE system, there is never an FA around ...
... or when there is, the typical response to my request to reset it is a condescending explanation of how to operate the IFE!
Equally frustrating is how often during taxiing the IFE switches to Channel 2 (presumedly in response to some power transition/transfer/spike that occurs).
The channel change is when they turn onthe second engine, they've been going out with one lately I guess to conserve fuel ... the not having any audio on during gate/ground ops is FAs that just don't get it.
On a recent TED flight, I mumbled this is going to be a great flight, when the FAs blew off my request to turn on the audio completely and spent the entire safety video chatting loudly between themselves (I was in row 2). Turned out I was next to an FA on leave as I suspected and she heard me. It turned into a great flight thanks to her, but the crew really didn't improve much although they did attempt to turn on the audio at one point (it was subsequently shut off again andseemed to be related to the engine shutting down while we were put into a ground hold for a bit). All I know is despite asking and being told Channel 9 would be on by the captain/fo upon boarding, it was never turned on during the flight. When asked, the FA just told us (me and the guy across from me) a resounding no, it's not supposed to be on and wouldn't ask the captain about it Like I said, great crew
The channel change is when they turn onthe second engine, they've been going out with one lately I guess to conserve fuel ... the not having any audio on during gate/ground ops is FAs that just don't get it.
I find it interesting that it defaults to different channels based on aircraft type. Channel 2 for A319/320, Channel 3 for the 757, and no channel change on the 737 based on recent observations (Can't remember 747/767/777 off the top of my head). I have to remind myself not to turn up the volume too loudly for when the channel switch occurs, so that the sudden onset music doesn't destroy my ear drums.
In hundreds of UA flights only a few haven't had 9 for one of three reasons:
1) The pilot doesn't want to use it (rare, but they have the right to turn it off)
2) Across the atlantic when they switch to VHF radio past the radar service limits at Gander.
3) The audio system doesn't work -- the most frequent reason.
BTW when I deplane and walk by the cockpit if the pilot is standing there I always THANK them for turning 9 on. They almost always are pleased and say you're welcome.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UAORDFLYER
As I notice that more and more of my flights don't have Channel 9 available, I've gotten into the habit of when I board the a/c I ask the FA if it will be on. I've had pretty good success as either they say yes right away, or if they don't know they peek into the flight deck and ask the captain who says yes, so far on about a half a dozen flights it's worked.
![The Consolidated "Channel 9 Availability" Thread [Merged]](/forum/iconimages/united-mileage-plus/consolidated-channel-9-availability-thread-merged_ltr.gif)
, he still said no. 
on my recent trip. I happened to ride the airtrain from Intl to Terminal 1 at ORD with the UA882 captain (NRT-ORD), and I thanked him. He said, "I always have it on; I know it's a unique feature of UA and that our customers enjoy it." (In fact he told me that while seated behind me in 3J on the 777/XI during his rest period, he had it on his headphones too just to "keep up with what's happening.")
