When JetBlue first started flying, they had 36 channels of DirecTV and satellite radio from a tiny, tiny screen (LTV1).

After a while, the screens got bigger (LTV2/2.1). JetBlue still had 36 channels of DirecTV, satellite radio, and the most legroom in coach, but now with three movie channels.

Eventually newer, bigger aircraft showed up and they had a new IFE platform: LTV4, featuring 200+ channels of DirecTV, satellite radio, and on-demand movies, all on a large touchscreen. It was clunky but the options were terrific. They also started adding Fly-Fi, which eventually became fleet-wide.

I am currently onboard a "restyled" Airbus A320-200 with the Thales AVANT IFE system. I just went through the entire TV listings. There are exactly 20 channels of live television (no longer LiveTV since this is a Thales product). There are also no music options, only audiobooks from Audible. Today I learned you can listen to them while you have the map program open. The quality of the screen is crisp and clear, and it is a much smoother and quicker interface.

My understanding is that the A321LR (and possibly the A321neo) has more TV channels than this, but the majority of the domestic fleet with the Thales AVANT IFE is equally limited. Was it always this way? I never actually thought to look until today. At this rate they may as well just switch to streaming entertainment.

-J.

Yes, it has always been this way.

Gone are the days of being able to watch MLB Network regional games on every flight, I would literally pay a premium just for this IFE option when flying.

On a recent trip during the playoffs this year they did not even have AL coverage on FOX on LiveTV. They did have the NL FS1 coverage which I thought was strange.

My best friend is on AMS-BOS right now on the 3NL (A321LR) and just complained in my group chat that the Fly-Fi is very unstable (i.e., cannot watch a video for more than 15 seconds without it freezing up) and there are only six (!) television channels on the PTVs.

-J.

There was, of course, the Sirius XM "ghost" option, where Sirius XM channels were listed and 80% of the time it wasn't working. At least now with the "new and improved" IFE there is no expectation that you can listen to music of any kind.

JetBlue has made no effort to update interiors or WiFi of A321CEOs, this is a problem on Caribbean flights where WiFi runs out like midway into the flight.

This is because they had wrapped up the A320 cabin refreshes during the pandemic, and then post-pandemic, they weren't doing very well financially. I'm sure they then held off until they could finalize their cabin refresh plans since they wanted to add Mini-Mint.

The A321ceos should get a cabin refresh soon once they formally start with that mini-mint program.

One of the commercials in the pre-flight block after the safety demo has lots of flashing lights. It is incredibly unpleasant at 6 AM, especially for someone sensitive to this. There is no way to dim or turn off the screen during it unless you did so before it started.

ETA: I am on an A220 and I keep turning off my screen; it has turned itself back on four times so far. I like this AVANT system less and less every time I fly.

-J.

Yeah, the AVANT IFE systems turn its display back on EVERY TIME there is an announcement. It's crazy annoying--especially on overnight TATL flights

It turned back on even without announcements. This happened on both of my flights today - i had three seats to myself on the second flight so I actually tested this. Notifications like TV signal returning or the IFE survey triggered the screens, even if you never went past the welcome screen (i.e., never even selected a language).

-J.

Who would have thought masking tape and some opaque paper were travel necessities? I've never been on a transcon with the new IFE equipment, but these supplies are now going in my bag.

To be fair, the old LiveTV IFE (on the classic 150-seat A320s) did this too to show ads back in the day.

I'm on another A220 now and I turned off my screen in advance of the ads. Joke's on me this time, the screen won't turn back on. It is on (I can see that it is backlit) and if there's an announcement that message pops up (among others), but otherwise nothing. Luckily I have an open middle seat so I have the map up on that PTV.


You can't make this up.

I know it can be individually reset by the FA up front, but this is a 40 minute flight and it just isn't worth the effort.

-J.

I agree. I am on FLL-LAS right now and we lost wifi over the majority of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America). This is a Mint flight; if these aircraft won't have wifi for a significant portion of the route then they should not be used here. Use a NEO or knock it back down to a 32M. Simply unacceptable for an allegedly-premium product.

I'll believe that when I see it. OTOH I am enjoying SiriusXM satellite radio and the map channel, and shortly will enjoy one of the 200+ channels of DirecTV when the Villanova game starts. My one complaint about LTV4 is that the lowest volume setting is still too loud - this is actually the 0 setting, which is hard for the amateur to get it to, but even this is too loud IMO.

-J.

My problem with A321CEO is wifi runs out halfway on flights to the Dominican Republic where I have family.