| Airlines now contracts with Direct TV to provide | | | | The History Channel |
| 40 satellite channels for in-flight satellite TV. | | | | Cartoon Networkand moreĀ
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| Passengers can now be glued to their seatback | | | | Additionally, the Setanta Sports channel delivers |
| TV displays right in front of them. Instead of | | | | the best in European sports with live international |
| having to wait until the end of the flight when | | | | soccer, rugby, including major matches. |
| passengers could access the latest scores from | | | | JetBlue was the first airline to offer live, in-flight |
| their cell phone or the airport bar, they will remain | | | | satellite TV when the airline was founded in 2000. |
| in touch. | | | | Today, several airlines offer in-flight satellite TV |
| Satellite TV technology has dramatically increased | | | | with other providers, as well as Direct TV. |
| in the past handful of years, so it was only a | | | | The decision for JetBlue to carry satellite TV was |
| matter of time before passengers saw the | | | | a "no-brainer" for them. They knew that |
| benefits of satellite TV on airplanes. JetBlue offers | | | | passengers were frustrated with the lack of |
| a total of 40 channels from Direct TV service, 37 | | | | quality in-flight entertainment and they wanted to |
| of which are free. | | | | be the first to change that. Airlines must negotiate |
| For a small fee, passengers can have access to | | | | the number of channels they offer with the |
| one of three premium satellite TV channels, all of | | | | satellite TV provider, making each airline's service |
| which are a part of the FOX Network. By far, | | | | unique. |
| JetBlue reports that ESPN is the most watched | | | | Airlines design their own pricing scale for |
| channel. The airline staff is always aware when | | | | passengers, based on the individual needs of their |
| there is a flight in the middle of a playoff series - | | | | flights and most offer domestic satellite TV, while |
| especially March Madness. | | | | only a few offer international satellite TV service. |
| Passengers are anxious to get in their seats so | | | | In 2002, JetBlue acquired LiveTV for $41 million |
| the plane can be cleared for take off and they | | | | dollars. LiveTV had quickly become one of the |
| can have access to the game on in-flight satellite | | | | companies responsible for equipping airplanes with |
| TV. Other channels available through Direct TV | | | | satellite TV and JetBlue's acquiring was a very |
| and JetBlue include: | | | | smart move. |
| ESPN | | | | Today, JetBlue has a major hand on the in-flight |
| CBS | | | | satellite TV business and will see profits from |
| NBC | | | | further growth. While companies like Direct TV |
| MSNBC and CNBC | | | | and Dish Network provide satellite programming |
| CNN | | | | to airlines, they need a "bridge" to provide that |
| The Weather Channel | | | | service - and that is where LiveTV comes in. |
| Comedy Central | | | | Airline passengers can expect to see in-flight |
| USA | | | | satellite TV options expand in the future to well |
| Bravo | | | | over 100 channels. Direct TV will continue to play |
| SciFi | | | | a vital role in the growth of this state of the art |
| A&E | | | | industry. |