TWA Fan 1

As a free product I am certainly not opposed to LiveTV. I have spent many an hour watching classic movies on FMC, or live sports.

It is especially valuable for those of us who travel with small children. The combination of the extra seat pitch on B6 plus PTV transformed our family flying experience, which usually involves a transcon to SFO/OAK to visit grandma.

AS a ppv product, I have to think about it twice.

UA Insider

Hi sbm12, the new 737-800/900ER aircraft we take delivery of this year will be among the first to be retrofit, which means many of them will be completed in the Jan. 2009 timeframe.

Hi xyzzy, Jan. 2009 is the date when our first aircraft will be outfit with our LiveTV offering. Currently both companies are working our the engineering and integration details required for what will be a very large-scale retrofit program. Also factored into the timing will be lead time required to install LiveTV's newest generation product, which includes larger screens (just under 9 inches).

While it'll be up to a year before our first aircraft have LiveTV and email, we do have an aggressive rollout schedule from that point forward, which would have all 737-700/800/900/900ER and 757-300s installed in less than two years from when the first aircraft rolls out. This means the last aircraft should be complete by the end of 2010. Also in this timeframe, we currently plan to install the onboard email on our 737-300/500 aircraft (no TVs on these aircraft).

Hi TWA Fan 1, folding the cost of the LiveTV into our fares is not something we believe our customers want us to do. Instead, we've simply expanded our domestic product to offer this a la carte option. The onboard email capabilities (like our meals) will be offered complimentary.

You're correct, sbm12. The TV will be $6 in the main cabin (complimentary in First Class) and the email service will be complimentary in both cabins.

How did I know you were going to try that, sbm12? We're pretty sure our customers will consider our addition of LiveTV and email service (even with it's beta challenges) to be worthwhile.

Hi iahphx, the entertainment content we currently show on our drop-down screens will indeed be discontinued on aircraft as LiveTV is installed. This is a condition of our contract with LiveTV.

Hi pbarnette, this comment would suggest that we've published a timeframe for completion that we're not meeting. On the contrary, we've actually accelerated the timeframe for audio video on-demand (AVOD) for both our 777 and 757-200 aircraft, and will be completing both retrofit programs ahead of schedule.

Hi pbarnette, although I don't believe this was outlined in the press release, we will be offering at least four channels of movies for pay-per-view movies. These movies will be available even when the aircraft out of range for satellite TV reception.

Hi Ysitincoach, the installation of the standard 110v power outlets in our 737-700/800/900 and 757-300 aircraft (First Class and main cabin through the exit row) will now be installed at the same time LiveTV is installed. All 737-900ERs, which will have these power outlets nose-to-tail upon delivery, although some of the first ones will not have the power activated until mid-year.

gogreyhound

I find it amusing that Kellner/Smisek sneered at other carriers for announcing lie flat seats well ahead of time -- they termed it vaporware -- and said they would do it much closer to the launch date. Now, they are unveiling this a year out.
Having seen the TV on JetBlue and DL/Song, I will keep bringing my own A and V when I want AVOD. I do like the trip tracking maps, but for $6 I will sneak peeks at someone else's. I would reconsider if they put cockpit chatter on one of the audio channels, a la United Channel 9.

pbarnette

I don't consider it a case of you guys not meeting your timelines, it is just that any timeline that won't help me with my next trip isn't fast enough for me. I'm not trying to be a jerk, though I know I might come across that way, but I just don't really feel like waiting. When it is all said and done, then I will take another look, but until then, just know it is nothing personal. I guess I'm just from the instant gratification school and never did have much patience.

BTW, I genuinely appreciate you taking the time and effort to respond to my idle ramblings. And hopefully, I've at least made a few valid points that CO can shove in the "possible improvements" category.

That is definitely something that should have been in the press release, and changes the discussion, in CO's favor.

iahphx

Hmmm. That's no good to this Platinum Elite. As I said, I'm not a big TV fan and would rather watch a commercial free movie. Taking away the free movies and substituting pay TV is not a service enhancement in my book.

Are we losing the free audio, too?

TWA Fan 1

No mention was made of XM Satellite radio which is a available on the B6 package

sdm1130

While I do not typically watch the IFE, I agree that taking away a free service offering and asking customers to pay for entertainment is not an enhancement. How does this service set CO apart from B6 (and others) who offer free IFE?

So, when this is rolled out, I will not be able to watch free IFE and I will only be able to go to yahoo.com. Cool.

TWA Fan 1

The B6 package includes three ppv movies that cost $5. so it will be interesting to see if the movies on CO wlll be competitively priced or more expensive.

entropy

B6 owns the system, so you think they want to give CO customers the same cost that they give their own? I don't think so!

TWA Fan 1

It's really a function of licensing costs incurred from the studios. I don't think B6 cares as long as they make money...

Scott6067

Hopefully CO can manage to get their PDA site avaliable via this wifi or perhaps on the screeen. It would be cool to have that access and also maybe buy the next ticket via the web onboard the plane.

skipmnyc

I don't know if this is related, what it means, or if it means anything at all, but... when I boarded CO75 in Hamburg on Sunday, I cracked open my macbook and found that I had a full wireless internet signal. I tried to fire up my browser, but could not connect, so tried manually and was prompted for a password. It was a peer-to-peer network, with a name I can't remember, but it clearly was not a signal from the terminal (we were too far away). I had the distinct impression that CO was testing an onboard wireless internet system, then thought.... nah, not possible. Because the power port in my seat (16C) was not working (which was royally disappointing, let me tell you), I turned my wireless off to conserve power, and just forgot about it for the duration of the flight.

What did I see? Something? Nothing?

TWA Fan 1

I would say most likely is someone else's laptop still running with WiFi feature enabled.

Xyzzy

Yes -- but they are also telling people at the start that it is a year out. Other carriers announce things and advertise them with no such notification. A deal like this was going to become public so CO had to announce it. The lead time for all the work is quite long.I'm with you on this!

mywifeisincoach

A while back I thought I saw something that mentioned Continental and others were working with apple to eventually offer some sort of ipod usage onboard. Including USB ports at the seat.

Does anyone else recall this?