shanshan

On Transcon out of EWR.. and noticed DirecTV is now a whopping $7.99 to use (before the discount for using the branded CC). $8 seems egregious to me. My own perception is $3.99 is "CO is just being a cheap" (vs. offering it to passengers for free), $5.99 is "let's squeeze you since we have you", and $7.99 is "what is the maximum pain tolerance for our customers without having them laugh out-loud-loud on the plane".

Of course, these numbers do not include 1-stop flights. A round-trip flight would cost $32 for TV. Or $16 one-way!!

Now if at least 50% of the people who pay $3.99 also are willing to pay $7.99, then perhaps this is a dollar winner for CO. But I would imagine it is better to have a happier customer base.. i.e., have more people paying $3.99 and keeping relations with customers cordial.

JetBlue has been offering TV for free for a long time. I hear Delta offering it now. It's surprising to me that Continental is finding ways to raise the prices, vs. match competitor offerings.

I for one would buy it occassionally for $3.99. For the short segments it was annoying, but sometimes I would still buy it. At $7.99 I do not buy it and the pricing actually gets me upset (even when I don't even care to buy it at a lower price point). It also feels anachronistic to me.

qoodoo

My upgrade rate is hovering around 90%. However a week or so ago I didn't clear a standby flight and was stuck in 21C. It was like game 5 of the eastern conference finals and it had just started so I bought it. Otherwise most of the time nothing to watch. Plus my AMEX Cent has 200 in travel credits I designated for CO...and I've only used like 80 of it so far.

I do think the price is a bit excessive especially on the flights just over 2 hours. However except for Soccer/Football/Basketball I never really watch TV in my spare time.

lhrpitlhr

Yes - I'd pay if there were sports on that I really wanted to see. Yes $8 is a joke, but how much is a beer an airport bar if you want to watch a game?

I'm still surprised they comp sodas in Y......... though IIRC US tried to charge $1 and it didn't go down well.

iceman77_7

I bought on transcons at $5.99 (actually $3.99 out of pocket with the OPP card), but no way I'm buying at $7.99 (or $5.99 with discount) unless there's a huge sporting event going on.

GTHCGTH

Would never purchase it, I just consider it a part of the F-product and shut the monitor off immediately if I'm sitting in the back of the bus.

Awtas

Most of my flights are transcons and never did and never will pay for DTV (or "high end" food items ). BTW my EUA is less than 10% so I'm always enjoying Y

shanshan

Sounds like 7.99 is here to stay. Sounds like most of the folks who pay for 5.99 will probably pay 7.99 (indifference, trip duration, special sporting event). And I assume take rate for $5.99 was successful enough for Continental to warrant trying the 7.99 in the first place. Perhaps take rate will decline after annual fee hits for their new credit cards.

GTITAN

If traveling with my 10-year old and in "Y" I buy it for her. If traveling by myself in "Y", I don't.

Safe Travels

TXbizman

My updgrade rate is (has been) higher than yours so I have not bought but even with sport show in Y, I would not buy. Always carrry a movie DVD with me. Besides, there is nothing to watch - no CO's doing but selling the service for 8 bucks or whatever, it is not worth it.

mduell

Never paid for it in coach, never would. Given the frequent dropouts (when I've been in F) and my lack of knowledge of when my favorite shows are actually on and new (thank you TiVo!), I can't see paying even $1.99 for it.

theblakefish

I have never bought DirecTV and would never buy it as long as they don't carry ABC for College Football

TXbizman

There you go CO - no one wants it. I suggest it be free for CO Elites...

RockyBalboa

I will pay for it only when I want to watch a game or by chance if I forget a book.

nova08

I've paid for it once at the old price. At this price the Phillies need to be in a World Series game for me to think about purchasing it. I'll use my laptop, that is until they start charging to use the AC outlets.

Critic

You'll have to talk with the folks at Disney/ABC about that one - they seem to have an issue with the retrans rights for in-flight systems. (DL and B5 doesn't have ABC either...)

This is an old point that's been floating around since the LiveTV system was first deployed - "Elites should get free IFE by swiping their OP card". Problem is, since CO didn't pay for the install of the systems (LiveTV did), they'd have to pay LiveTV for each of those swipes, in much the same way that CO has to pay US every time a PC member uses the US Club. You can see why that wouldn't appeal to $MI/J.