Please Post Your Recent Channel 9 Experience: On or Off?
Dec 6, 2005, 5:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Programs: UA 1P 1MM, IHG Plat, HH Silver, DB BahnComfort
Posts: 332
Please Post Your Recent Channel 9 Experience: On or Off?
There has been a lot of discussion recently about the reasons for listening to Channel 9, and why it is sometimes turned off. Now I think it would be interesting to know how often it really is being made available.
Please report on the flights you made during October, November or December 2005: For each flight, was Channel 9 on or off? (If you'd like to add some more detail, you might name the segments...)
I'll start:
Simple answer: 4 flights, 2 with Channel 9 turned on.
Detailed answer:
Dec. 2: MUC-IAD: On
IAD-LAX: Off
Dec. 4: LAX-IAD: On
IAD-MUC: Off
If more than 10 people reply, I'll consolidate and post the reults in a week or so! So please help me with this mini-survey!
(And yes, I have done a search, but I didn't find any recent attempts at generating some Channel 9 success numbers!
)
Please report on the flights you made during October, November or December 2005: For each flight, was Channel 9 on or off? (If you'd like to add some more detail, you might name the segments...)
I'll start:
Simple answer: 4 flights, 2 with Channel 9 turned on.
Detailed answer:
Dec. 2: MUC-IAD: On
IAD-LAX: Off
Dec. 4: LAX-IAD: On
IAD-MUC: Off
If more than 10 people reply, I'll consolidate and post the reults in a week or so! So please help me with this mini-survey!
(And yes, I have done a search, but I didn't find any recent attempts at generating some Channel 9 success numbers!
)
Dec 6, 2005, 5:56 am
#2
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,106
28 flights in the past month. Of those, 7 were UX and 3 were US and thus don't count... so:
OMA-DEN: Yes
DEN-LAX: No
IAD-ORD, 2x: Yes, both times
ORD-IAD, 3x: Yes, all times
DEN-IAD, 2x: Yes, both times
OAK-DEN: Yes
ABQ-DEN, 2x: Yes, both times
DEN-ABQ: No
DEN-PDX: No
PDX-LAX: No
DEN-ORD, 2x: No, both times
MCO-IAD: Yes
Thus 12/18 (67%) for me. Oddly enough, it was the ex-DEN flights that seemed to eschew Ch9. No explanation was given, and I didn't press the FA to bug the captain about it.
OMA-DEN: Yes
DEN-LAX: No
IAD-ORD, 2x: Yes, both times
ORD-IAD, 3x: Yes, all times
DEN-IAD, 2x: Yes, both times
OAK-DEN: Yes
ABQ-DEN, 2x: Yes, both times
DEN-ABQ: No
DEN-PDX: No
PDX-LAX: No
DEN-ORD, 2x: No, both times
MCO-IAD: Yes
Thus 12/18 (67%) for me. Oddly enough, it was the ex-DEN flights that seemed to eschew Ch9. No explanation was given, and I didn't press the FA to bug the captain about it.
Dec 6, 2005, 5:57 am
#3
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Plat 2MM, Delta Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott cardboard
Posts: 1,699
10/28: ORD-HKG on
10/28: HKG-SIN on
11/4: SIN-HKG on
11/4: HKG-ORD on
11/13: IAD-SEA on
11/14: SEA-IAD on
I always ask the FA to ask the pilot to turn it on.
I've had other long flights when it's been off, or off for most of the flight. I see more and more pilots turn it off. That + the degrading of the classical music channel just sold me an iPod.
10/28: HKG-SIN on
11/4: SIN-HKG on
11/4: HKG-ORD on
11/13: IAD-SEA on
11/14: SEA-IAD on
I always ask the FA to ask the pilot to turn it on.
I've had other long flights when it's been off, or off for most of the flight. I see more and more pilots turn it off. That + the degrading of the classical music channel just sold me an iPod.
Last edited by dulcamara; Dec 6, 2005 at 5:59 am
Dec 6, 2005, 6:04 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Ani Ichibanya
Programs: WWMFD
Posts: 6,292
11/23 - JFK/NRT on
12/3 - NRT/HKG off
12/4 - HKG/NRT off
12/4 - NRT/JFK on
12/3 - NRT/HKG off
12/4 - HKG/NRT off
12/4 - NRT/JFK on
Dec 6, 2005, 6:11 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Programs: UAL 1K, Marriott, Hilton Gold. Delta Silver Medallion
Posts: 567
12/3 SEA-ORD : It was on at the gate and all of a sudden the elevator music poped up. I asked the F/A if we are going to have the Ch. 9 and she replied "no, not today". I knew it was due to captain.
12/3 ORD-SEA : It was on, but I snored all the way
12/3 ORD-SEA : It was on, but I snored all the way
Dec 6, 2005, 6:54 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Southern CA
Programs: UA 1P-MM
Posts: 725
10/18: ONT/SFO: On
10/18: SFO/PDX: On
10/19: PDX/SFO: On
10/19: SFO/ONT: On
11/2: LAX/SFO: On
11/2: SFO/PVG: On
11/17: PVG/SFO: Intermittent
11/17: SFO/LAX: On
11/27: LAX/NRT: Intermittent
12/2: NRT/LAX: On
10/18: SFO/PDX: On
10/19: PDX/SFO: On
10/19: SFO/ONT: On
11/2: LAX/SFO: On
11/2: SFO/PVG: On
11/17: PVG/SFO: Intermittent
11/17: SFO/LAX: On
11/27: LAX/NRT: Intermittent
12/2: NRT/LAX: On
Dec 6, 2005, 6:57 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Greater DC
Programs: UA plus
Posts: 12,943
Channel 9 has been on consistently for my last few flights, but the audio was so poor or it had that continuous buzz (hate that) I had to select a different channel.
Dec 6, 2005, 7:17 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PBI
Programs: UA (1k) lifetime gold, AA (EP), Starwood (Life Plat), Hilton (Gold)
Posts: 193
Dec 4, ORD - BOS: On, the pilot even tuned in the Packers game on CH 9 while he could get reception! The man is a saint!
Dec 6, 2005, 7:26 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: UA
Posts: 1
On - Then Off - Then On
DEN - ATL on 12/4. The Pilot was a very chatty pilot and was giving us lots of information about the route etc at the beginning of the flight. Then, he annouced that he would have Channel 9 turned on for the flight.
The flight was going very smoothly so for some reason this flight I didn't connect to channel 9.
An hour into the flight the Pilot annouced that during takeoff our plane had suffered a primary generator failure that resulted in our weather radar becoming inoperative and that we were now going to be landing in Chicago (ORD?). He wasn't sure what the plans would be once we got there.
Suddenly I had a very good reason to listen to Channel 9... But, at this point the Pilot had obviously turned it off while communicating back and forth as to what the plans would be when we got to Chicago.
As we were over Chicago & I saw we were flying over downtown I connected again & channel 9 was now operational.
After a (very surprisingly) fast plane change in Chicago (at 11:00p.m. at night) we were back on our way to ATL. Where, the Pilot once again turned on Channel 9.
The difference in a very late night departure from the earlier in the day departures was interesting. I guess its just the much lower volume of flights, but communication on our 11:00 p.m. departure out of chicago was so relaxed. "Cleared for takeoff on 32L whenever your ready."
The flight was going very smoothly so for some reason this flight I didn't connect to channel 9.
An hour into the flight the Pilot annouced that during takeoff our plane had suffered a primary generator failure that resulted in our weather radar becoming inoperative and that we were now going to be landing in Chicago (ORD?). He wasn't sure what the plans would be once we got there.
Suddenly I had a very good reason to listen to Channel 9... But, at this point the Pilot had obviously turned it off while communicating back and forth as to what the plans would be when we got to Chicago.
As we were over Chicago & I saw we were flying over downtown I connected again & channel 9 was now operational.
After a (very surprisingly) fast plane change in Chicago (at 11:00p.m. at night) we were back on our way to ATL. Where, the Pilot once again turned on Channel 9.
The difference in a very late night departure from the earlier in the day departures was interesting. I guess its just the much lower volume of flights, but communication on our 11:00 p.m. departure out of chicago was so relaxed. "Cleared for takeoff on 32L whenever your ready."
Dec 6, 2005, 7:29 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: NYC (formerly BOS/DCA)
Programs: UA 1K, IC RA
Posts: 60,745
IAD-LHR (924) over Thanksgiving on
LHR-IAD (925) over Thanksgiving off
LHR-IAD (925) over Thanksgiving off
Dec 6, 2005, 7:32 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: UA1k, AA plt, SW plt, Mar plt
Posts: 98
11/24 883, 11/26 881 - on in both cases
Dec 6, 2005, 7:33 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: CMH
Posts: 226
12/3:
CMH-ORD- No audio available
ORD-BWI- On
BWI-ORD- On
ORD-CMH- On
CMH-ORD- No audio available
ORD-BWI- On
BWI-ORD- On
ORD-CMH- On
Dec 6, 2005, 7:37 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1KUGS, AA Plat., SPG Plat., Hertz Five*
Posts: 388
Lately, Ch. 9 is off for taxi and takeoff. Its on for landing only. Its sad because I love hearing the traffic for taxi at ORD. But as long as its on for approach and taxi to the gate I'm happy, especially at ORD.
Dec 6, 2005, 7:43 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DEN, or so it says...
Programs: UA1K/RCC, Avis CHM, NWA Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 2,885
11/12 DEN-SLC: Off
11/13 SLC-DEN: On but then switched to football (barf)
11/18 DEN-IAD (932): On
11/18 IAD-LHR (924): On
11/27 BRU-IAD (951): Said was On but was Off
11/27 IAD-ORD (937): On
11/27 ORD-DEN (959): On
11/29 DEN-SNA (511): On
11/30 LAX-DEN (304): On
11/13 SLC-DEN: On but then switched to football (barf)
11/18 DEN-IAD (932): On
11/18 IAD-LHR (924): On
11/27 BRU-IAD (951): Said was On but was Off
11/27 IAD-ORD (937): On
11/27 ORD-DEN (959): On
11/29 DEN-SNA (511): On
11/30 LAX-DEN (304): On
Dec 6, 2005, 8:23 am
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
11/17 924 IAD-LHR Yes
11/23 923 LHR-IAD Yes (but with a nasty buzz 767-300)
12/2 615 DCA-ORD No
12/2 1495 ORD-PHX Yes
12/4 1540 PHX-ORD Yes (but pretty soon C9 became Bears-Packers!)
12/4 622 DCA-ORD No
11/23 923 LHR-IAD Yes (but with a nasty buzz 767-300)
12/2 615 DCA-ORD No
12/2 1495 ORD-PHX Yes
12/4 1540 PHX-ORD Yes (but pretty soon C9 became Bears-Packers!)
12/4 622 DCA-ORD No