United Accidentally Picks Sides & Initiates Political Firestorm over In-Flight Entertainment
Jeff Edwards January 23, 2015
When left-leaning U.S. politicians took United to task for using a right-leaning news network as the default channel setting on select flights, the airline announced that the default channel would be changed to a less controversial choice, only to be met with a backlash from conservative groups who accused the company of caving in the face of liberal bullying.
For the rest of January, television screens on United Airlines flights that offer DirectTV services will automatically tune to Newsmax TV when powered on. Passengers have the option to choose from more than 100 different channels, but when former White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton noticed that every monitor on the plane was tuned to the right-leaning news channel as his flight boarded, the former Obama staffer tweeted his concerns.
Hey there, @united. Why on earth is newsmax tv the default channel running on all of your screens when boarding your planes? #tcot
— Bill Burton (@billburton) January 20, 2015
United Airlines soon responded with a tweet of its own, assuring Burton that the airline would be removing the offending channel as the default station “in the coming months.”
@billburton In the coming months we will be removing that as our default channel. ^JT
— United (@united) January 20, 2015
United’s tweet was met with a firestorm on social media, including dozens of calls to boycott the airline for caving to political pressure and many upset followers of Newsmax inexplicably assuming the conservative station would be replaced with left-leaning MSNBC.
United insists that neither the decision to choose Newsmax as a default channel, nor the decision to remove the network as a default channel had any political motivations.
"The default channel on our in-flight live television service changes periodically based on marketing agreements between the Live TV service provider, television programmers and United," United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson told the Chicago Tribune. "The next change to the default channel is scheduled for early February — a change that has been planned for several weeks."
[Photo: United Airlines]
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By the list you'd just given UA is the only US-Canada option to AC, all the others are long-distance airlines, either going East (to Europe) or West (to Asia or Oceania). The problem here's that YVR-based flyers are in the WRONG ALLIANCE for Stateside flights, since right now UA is its ONLY USA member of the *A (US melted into AA and OW and UA went as far as using CO's logo after buying them, which was the other member). All meaning it's CA or UA for *A YVR-based flyers who want Stateside flights. Sorry...
@chx1975. I'm afraid that you are mistaken. There are quire a few other Star Alliance carriers serving YVR. Not only Air Canada and United, but also Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Eva Air, Lufthansa. Additionally, one may credit Edelweiss Air flights to one's Miles and More account (provided ticketed on 724 stock) and then use those miles towards travel on any Star Alliance carrier.
@kjnangre I am Vancouver based. Aeroplan miles are easy to get by churning credit cards. The only Star Alliance providers in the city are Air Canada and United. Air Canada charges hefty fuel scam/surcharges on their award flights. So. Who do I fly with?
A bigger question is why would anyone actually fly United given their terrible performance
Unfortunately, that would cause Jeff to forego precious marketing revenue.