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United

Airline Geek Travel: United Phasing out Channel 9

February 14, 2008 at 10:15 AM | 0 Comments

One of our favorite things about United is tuning in to channel 9, the direct-from-the-flight deck audio feed. For airline nerds, it makes a cross-country flight pass in no time, as you hear your plane passed from one control center to another and laugh along with pilot in-jokes. For flyers who don't obsess over airlines, it offers a fun way to learn more about how commercial aviation works.

Sadly, anecdotal evidence has it that United pilots are muting the channel, possibly due to fears about litigation and privacy. And we can understand that. As a pilot you probably don't wanna hear some uninformed passenger criticizing your chops and you don't want any flubs ending up on YouTube.

But we have to question the strategy of taking away the one thing that makes a United flight unique. Imagine flying JetBlue without live TV; would it still be the same? And who would fly Southwest if it wasn't dirt cheap but still fun? Maybe it's just us, but it seems like a legacy carrier should do whatever it can to keep customers not disappoint them.

Related Stories:
· Coming to You Live from the Cockpit [WSJ]
· United Airlines coverage [Jaunted]
· In-Flight Entertainment coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Cubbie_n_Vegas]