No longer are the days of pre-recorded, pre-censored and dated in-flight entertainment. In an Australian first, Virgin Blue is giving its guests the chance to watch live television 40 000 feet in the sky. On Monday, Virgin Blue launched its first aircraft full fitted with the innovative "live2air"Â product.
The road to this new step in in-flight entertainment on Australian flights has been a long time coming "“ "Live2air" has been five years in the making. It has been working with Australia's leading subscription television providers FOXTEL and AUSTAR to streamline an entertaining occupation during flying time.
Live2air will operate under pay-per-view and will run the moment the aircraft pushes up to the gate to maximise guest viewing time. Virgin Blue will offer a special introductory rate of $6 for all flights. The every day rate of $6 will be for unlimited viewing on most flights. For flights over three hours, it will be just $3 more.
Once all forty-seven Virgin Blue aircrafts are fitted out with live2air in mid 2007, every guest will have their own personal seatback screen to view the 24 FOXTEL and AUSTAR channels.
"The world doesn't stop while you are at 40 000 feet, so why should your information and entertainment?"Â said Virgin Blue Executive Brett Godfrey. "Some airlines offer one channel of pre-recorded "entertainment' in the form of old new bulletins, but unlike our competitors' "one size fits all"Â approach, live2air will offer 24 channels of live programming. There will be something individual for each individual and something suitable for everyone."Â
Virgin Blue guests will be up-to-date with the latest news from Sky News Australia, FOX News and CNN, watch music videos with Channel [V] and MAX and kids can check out Boomerang, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.
These are just some of the viewing pleasures that Virgin Blue live2air customers will enjoy with the new technological advancements that have been made with these Boeing 737s. The Federal Aviation Authority and Civil Aviation Safety Authority approved design modifications allows for an antenna to be incorporated into the structure of the aircraft to pick up a unique signal from the FOXTEL/AUSTAR Australian satellite.
With the Virgin Blue live2air technological advancements, flying will be just like sitting in your lounge room at home.
don't know about the nickelodeon, but pretty cool to have CNN at 30,000 ft
