comment #1

FunkDaddy J says ...

We'll no longer be able to watch edited movies in the worst possible venue imaginable? Crappy image, check. Crappy sound, check. Crappy seating, check. Crappy content, check. Whatever will we do?

Airplanes have always been about reading for me.

comment #2

chicagodad says ...

Actually, I say don't even offer the broadband.

Heaven forbid we actually find ways to keep ourselves occupied without the internet and connectivity for the length of a plane flight.

comment #3

Edward says ...

Just travelled US Air last week. The LCD screens were very small and most of the seats were off access so you got an even crappier small image. No loss.

comment #4

mutinyco says ...

Pretty soon they'll just be shooting people out of canons to get them where they're going. Of course, that'll be $15 extra if you want a helmet...

comment #5

Amazing Larry says ...

Finally, the perfect excuse to drop acid before you board that New York to LA flight.

comment #6

Mgmax says ...

Not much of a loss, I'm sure they looked at all those people ignoring the tiny screen above them to watch the tiny screen they brought with them.

Or more to the point... their advertisers looked at it, and wondered what the hell they were paying for if nobody was watching their commercials in the middle of an old Seinfeld any more.

comment #7

The Winchester says ...

But Larry, did you really NEED the excuse?

comment #8

va says ...

bring an ipod and a book! broadband? no way - can use the break from e-mail....

comment #9

otakuhouse says ...

No broadband or cellphones please ever on planes. It's a few hours where no ONE can expect to reach me and for that I'm grateful.

But please please keep those tv screens on Jetblue. Modern air travel is all about taking all matter of choice away from the passenger and making them a virtual prisoner for the duration of the experience. By giving all those passengers who don't read books or have unuly children an individual tv with its own channel changer peace quiet and stability rules on board.

Funny thing though, once I was on a jetblue flight with Dan Rather and everyone kept trying to see what he was watching on his tv.

comment #10

MilkMan says ...

Besides the fact that you're floating in mid-air at 35000 feet, and that you travel exponentially more miles, and that you would get from LA to NYC in five hours instead of 5 days, what's the diff. between taking the bus and taking a plane?

I haven't flown in 9 years. I drive. Everywhere. Back and forth from LA to NYC, LA to Dallas, LA to Portland, LA to Chicago. I have a morbid fear of flying. Dropping acid before getting on a plane sounds to me like the most terrifying thing in the world. I think I would have a heart attack.

comment #11

Vitesse98 says ...

If you can't occupy yourself on a plane for five hours or less, that says a lot more about you than it does the airline. Personally, as someone with kids, the only time I ever get *any* reading done is on a plane or in an airport, away from the TVs. And if we have the kids with us, I bring my own DVD player to keep them occupied and out of the hair of others. It's children who can't keep it together for five hours. Adults, one would hope, have longer attention spans.

"Modern air travel is all about taking all matter of choice away from the passenger and making them a virtual prisoner for the duration of the experience."

Beats the alternative, which is an open door and a date with gravity.

comment #12

Mgmax says ...

"what's the diff. between taking the bus and taking a plane?"

The bus might actually stop for lunch somewhere where there's something good to eat.

comment #13

George Prager says ...

I once took a bus from NY to San Francisco. It was mostly McDonalds and Hardees.

comment #14

Studly Semite says ...

Fuck US Air - last year when I flew to NY the had these stupid advertisement stickers on the tray. I spent the flight peeling it off.

I recommend everyone get stoned during the flight. The most fun I ever had on a flight was when I baked pot brownies. Then I ate one before bording. That was an easy flight.

comment #15

MarkVH says ...

I was recently on a cross-country flight that showed Pirates of the Caribbean 3 in a compressed-for-time (i.e. slightly sped up), truncated version. Having already sat through it once in the theater, I opted not to purchase the headphones.

And you know what? It played pretty damned well as a silent movie in the Fairbanks/Valentino tradition. I'm not kidding. Seeing as how I couldn't understand what the hell was going on WITH the sound, I had no problems without. Really kind of enjoyable.

I'm thinking they should do this with more summer blockbusters.

comment #16

George Prager says ...

You want enjoyable? Mission Impossible 3 on a Peter Pan bus.

comment #17

Sean E says ...

"If you can't occupy yourself on a plane for five hours or less, that says a lot more about you than it does the airline. "

Unless you're an avid reader, what can you do to entertain yourself on a 5 hour flight? In my experience, the options are pretty limited.

Canadian airlines (and Jetblue, apparently) have essentially done away with in-flight movies and moved towards satellite service with individual screens and controls. Huge improvement over the movies, and access to a cartoon channlel and Discovery Kids is a lifesaver when travelling with small children.

comment #18

DavidF says ...

I just booked a flight with American Airlines and then found out I have to pay $15 to check a bag.

The point? I'm all for cutting corners here and there because, despite Mr. Bush and Cheney's efforts, oil costs ARE going up like crazy. Still - these airlines are money grubbing bastards.

comment #19

Mgmax says ...

I can remember my dad spending $500 to fly to LA in the mid-60s. Today it's $300 in dollars that are worth about 10% as much/ So aviation has gotten absurdly cheap, I'm not going to bitch about the cost per se.

But it's so miserable that I really have to be going somewhere far and good to do it any more. When you consider actual door to door time, a two-hour flight is surely a six-hour trip. A lot of places you can go in six hours in a car, and have a better time and be in control of your own destiny, and even with $4.50 gas, not spend more.

comment #20

Bocephus says ...

"Unless you're an avid reader, what can you do to entertain yourself on a 5 hour flight? In my experience, the options are pretty limited."

Become an avid reader? There are also ipods and portable DVD players. If all else fails, bring a deck of cards and play solitaire on your foldout lap tray.

Also, I highly reccomend buying a fashion magazine and a pen. I can get 5 hours of entertainment quite easily just drawing mustaches and scars on all the supermodels.

comment #21

corey3rd says ...

Books won't drown out toddlers like a pair of headphones and a copy of Cocaine Cowboys in the portable DVD player.

comment #22

Joshua Mooney says ...

You know what would save a hell of a lot more money for these airlines? Having some kind of weight-restriction for the passengers. No movies saves 500 pounds? Puh-leeeez. That's nothing. I'm talking about a system that would save ten TIMES that per flight, at least. Your shoes are already off-- just step on the fucking scale! Come on! Who's with me on this (besides Jeff)?

comment #23

Chapman Carruthers says ...

A fatty surcharge? I'm all for it. After all, passengers are required to fork over extra cash if their checked baggage is over 75 pounds. Why not do the same if the passenger him/herself is over, say, 225/150lbs.

comment #24

Chapman Carruthers says ...

Plus, US Air probably won't receive any great benefit by dropping the 500 lbs. movie system. Not if the 150-200+ pasengers compensate for the lack of an in-flight movie by bringing with them an extra book, portable dvd player, laptop, whatever.