Has there been any news from JetBlue corporate about introducing a Channel 9 service similar to UA? Why is UA the only airline with Channel 9 ATC? :confused:

No communication has been sent regarding this concept. Don't plan on it.

Here's an idea, watch one of the 30 channels of live Directv or the XM radio...

Nowhere nearly as entertaining as Channel 9. You can keep your TV; I want ATC :D

I still find it strange that UA is the only carrier to offer the ATC broadcast, especially as so many are now offering IFE that would seem to be capable of doing it. Having Channel 9 might actually be enough to get me to choose UA for my BMI flying/earning here going forward as I try for Gold there.

All I can say is wow, and I'm an aviation enthusiast who spent many hours listening to ATC as a kid...

I said "might." I'd much rather just take an actual bmi flight, but the taxes and exchange rate being what it is headed to the UK, that seems to be out of the question. The other option is a quick Thai flight to BKK to get some new suits if required by my new job (I don't have one yet, but I plan to soon), so only time will tell. But given the shoice between UA and US I'd have to fly UA, I think. Or I'll just fly to Canada on AC. Not a lot of choices, so I'll have to make do with what I can.

Please bear in mind that many on this forum (and indeed, many flyers) are airline enthusiasts, and enjoy things like this.

Anybody can appreciate TV shows or movies inflight, but a select few (kudos to UA for recognizing this) get into the behind-the-scenes part of air travel. Heck some European airlines even have a camera on the bottom of the fuselage that they play on one channel of the IFE during takeoff & landing! :)

Something tells me UA might have some sort of patent on the Channel 9. Anybody know for sure?

One challenge regarding putting something like UA Channel 9 on jetBlue is that jetBlue doesn't have any conventional audio system on board, unless Ch 9 were routed through the p/a system. All the IFE on B6 comes via the satellite downlink and so Ch 9 would have to be created as an add-on.

I Echo the OP on my feelings.

I just started flying them after a friend told my how awesome they are. I have to say, when I get off the aircraft from BUR in JFK I don't feel like I've been on a plane for 5 hours. I guess it must be the directv that keeps me from think about the time, but I'm hooked! If they ever expand in the west coast they would really be a hit. It's like a breath of fresh air flying them and I fly alot.

Only 2 con's I find for business travel are:

1. Not seeing the seat map prior to booking (I don't have time to waste calling).

2. I don't like how the do their FF credits. I go to NAS all the time and get no more points for then if I started at JFK. I think it should be segment based so it's fair.

Besides those 2 things, every chance I get I'll fly them from now on.

Relieved...
 

Another AA/CO Elite here, flying JetBlue for the first time tomorrow. Was relieved to read your review - because you know how worried we always are when forced to fly an airline with whom we lack status.

I don't know how boarding works and when I called, all they could verify is that there is no "elite" preboard process (other than those needing special assistance), so I booked a seat in the back of the plane (yikes!), figuring it might board first. I'll find out tomorrow if it was a good guess. :confused:

There are no elites on JetBlue.

The very unconfusing boarding process:

First pre-boarding, then the last 5 rows board first, then its general boarding. However, the last-5 rows rule seems to be at the discretion of the gate agent. (It shouldn't be, but it seems it is. although usually only not done when the load is light.)

If you are on an E190, you want to be in the back of the plane anyway: More legroom in the back for E190s. (And if you are originating in AUS, then you did yourself right since I don't think the A320 is used on this route. )

However, if you had been put on an A320, you might decide to sacrifice boarding first in order to get supersize legroom, which is in the FRONT for the A320s.


There is nothing to be confused about. If anything, airlines with various statuses of different metalic levels and program names are much more confusing!

Boarding on jetBlue is almost always achieved quickly and painlessly. There are no elites and no FC creating a bottleneck at the front of the plane. Also, there are many fewer battled-hardened road warriors carrying on the huge rollerboards which quickly fill up the overhead bins and then lead passengers to float in the aisle looking for a space for their bag. This also creates a big bottleneck.

There are also some airports where the boarding/deplaning maybe from both ends. As an example, LGB is one of those cities.

Just as I was about to start a new thread on this topic, you beat me to it, Seat13c :)

I have actually noticed a HUGE decrease in the use of rear boarding/deplaning. :td::td:

Of my last ~20 flights into/out of FLL, I have not noticed it done not even once. They used to do it ALL the time - especially at C4/C6. Have not been to PBI in 12 months, but last time they utilized it. Year and a half ago at SEA I was pleasantly surprised to experience it. SAN did it. BUR, this past March, did it. FLL....not any more! What is going on there???