As predicted in tripatlas.com/new’s 2008 Travel Forecast, many airlines have begun to offer new media services on their flights, including TV, and onboard Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the entire flight for email and instant messaging.
On January 29th 2008, Continental Airlines announced that they have partnered with LiveTV, L.L.C. that will enable Continential Airlines to offer television on all of their domestic flights, as well as Wi-Fi services including email and instant messaging – although these are still in testing phase.
LiveTV will offer passengers 36 channels of live, in-flight satellite-based television programming provided by DIRECTV. Each individual passenger seat will have access to their own television set and option to choose from a variety of channels, including: CBS, NBC, FOX News, CNN Headline News, ESPN, Animal Planet, The History Channel, Food Network, Nickelodeon, MTV and other popular television channels. In flight information will also be available including a moving map.
Customers will be able to use the service with Wi-Fi enabled smartphones, BlackBerries and laptops to connect to work, friends and family via Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger and BlackBerry e-mail and BlackBerry Messenger services.
But don’t get too excited – these services will be complimentary for first class passengers but will be $6 for economy or coach class passengers.
These service consoles will be installed on Continental’s fleet of Boeing 737 New Generation aircraft, including the 737-700, -800, -900 and -900ER aircraft, and the Boeing 757-300.
