[dod1450]

I was on an United Air Line flight that had Directv . The problem that they charged you $7.97. As a Directv customer there has to be an option that if you a Directv customer I think one should not have to pay the viewing charge on UAL?

 

[Laxguy]

I was on an United Air Line flight that had Directv . The problem that they charged you $7.97. As a Directv customer there has to be an option that if you a Directv customer I think one should not have to pay the viewing charge on UAL?

There doesn't have to be any such option. It's entirely United's call, anyway.

 

[tenpins]

Just another Revenue Stream for UAL.

 

[ttodd1]

Why would you think that?

 

[ndole]

It's the same as the cruddy wifi that some provide.

 

[Carl Spock]

I might agree with you if you said you were a 100,000 miles a year flier on UAL. They should give you the discount, not DirecTV.

 

[RAD]

Fly JetBlue, DIRECTV is free.

 

[PCampbell]

Delta has Dish free on some flights. I think they may charge or start to in coach.

 

[trainman]

I might agree with you if you said you were a 100,000 miles a year flier on UAL. They should give you the discount, not DirecTV.

If you're a 100,000-mile-a-year flyer on United, you'll end up being automatically upgraded to first class on many domestic flights -- and DirecTV is free in first class.

 

[billsharpe]

I was on an United Air Line flight that had Directv . The problem that they charged you $7.97. As a Directv customer there has to be an option that if you a Directv customer I think one should not have to pay the viewing charge on UAL?

I think not. As another poster has mentioned it's United's call. Personally I read books on my iPod Touch when flying...

My beef is the $25 baggage fee on most airlines. I feel they should check the bags free and charge you for the carry-on. That would reduce the number of people stuffing oversize luggage into the overhead bins.

 

[JosephB]

The fee goes to United, not to DirecTV (well, I guess part of it does but not directly). Can you imagine how complicated it would be to put into place a system to verify that? The costs for everyone else would go through the roof.

 

[trh]

I'm guessing there is a cost UAL has to pay for programming and to install the equipment on their planes. Your home monthly bill doesn't contribute or cover that cost (nor should it). This is why I fly with my iPad with nomad.

 

[trainman]

I'm guessing there is a cost UAL has to pay for programming and to install the equipment on their planes.

Yes, as I understand it, a major portion of the DirecTV fee actually goes to the company LiveTV, which installed and maintains the equipment.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I was on an United Air Line flight that had Directv . The problem that they charged you $7.97. As a Directv customer there has to be an option that if you a Directv customer I think one should not have to pay the viewing charge on UAL?

100% on the airlines. It costs a pretty penny to retrofit those planes and they want to recoup those costs. Now, they certainly could choose to be like JetBlue and add a few dollars to the ticket and provide it for "free", or they can charge per usage.

The only way to do what you suggest would be for a customer to somehow enter their account number, have it ping against the DTV billing system in flight (possible with wifi), then have it clear that seat for DTV usage. That sounds like a lot of work, money, etc that probably isn't worth the ROI.