Continental Airlines could start offering over 90 channels of live television to passengers aboard its LiveTV LTV3-equipped aircraft in the coming weeks.
The carrier is in the process of installing the LTV3 system on its Boeing domestic fleet. At present it offers 77 channels of live DIRECTV programming on 25 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft. Economy class passengers pay $6 to access the in-flight entertainment
"There is another content deal we're trying to work on to take passengers over 90 channels," reveals LiveTV CEO Nate Quigley, adding that he thinks the company will reach that number before the World Airline Entertainment Association's annual conference and exhibition gets kicked off in early October.
Quigley says it is content licensing, and not technological limits, that has kept LTV3 from offering hundreds of channels. "We hope one day to have 200 channels available including premium sports packages," he says.
LiveTV is a subsidiary of JetBlue Airways, which offers a 36-channel live television offering to passengers for free.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
