United Airlines and Jazz

[BeBop]

Everyone needs a cause. Here's mine.

Every couple of days, I hop on a plane. 300,000 miles last year, many of them on United Airlines. United offers in-flight entertainment, including a jazz "radio" station. This month, programming includes Wynton KELLY, Louis Armstrong, Red Rodney, Vincent Herring, Abbey Lincoln, Martin Sasse Trio, Arturo Sandoval, Freddie Hubbard with Woody Shaw, Billie Holiday, Bud Powell, James Moody, Mingus Big Band, Valery Pnomarev (UA's spelling). Not bad; certainly better than the dreck on the pop "radio" channels UA also offrers. Problem is, no one will ever hear the jazz programming. The jazz channel is consistently pre-empted by "From the Cockpit", the opportunity to listen in on airline communications. Beats Bud Powell anyway, yes?

I don't know who to blame. Nervous passengers who think they are going to garner some insights about the flight that will make them feel safer (...as if a real cockpit emergency wouldn't result in immediate termination/editing of the broadcast...) Some meathead at UA who personally finds cockpit broadcasts better than jazz? Just general public malaise toward jazz? Somewhere along the way, UA must be paying for the rights to broadcast, or perhaps being paid to advertise the recordings.

Whatever, I'm complaining. If you fly UA and prefer jazz to air traffic control, you should too.

Okay, BeBop, off the soapbox.

Edited March 16, 2004 by BeBop

[John L]

I do a lot of traveling on planes too.

Get a Diskman and invest in some nice surrounding noise elimination headphones. It works wonders, believe me. I've never enjoyed flying more.

[BeBop]

A fine idea, but difficult in execution. Because I travel constantly (without checked luggage), I really can't bring along a CD and headphones and batteries and CDs. Moreover, once hitting the tarmac in (for example) Somalia, these things tend to disappear...often before even clearing immigration and customs. (I know United doesn't fly to Somalia.)

Moreover, it's the principle! Don't claim to offer something and not do it.

[Leeway]

Everyone needs a cause. Here's mine.

Every couple of days, I hop on a plane. 300,000 miles last year, many of them on United Airlines. United offers in-flight entertainment, including a jazz "radio" station. This month, programming includes Wynton KELLY, Louis Armstrong, Red Rodney, Vincent Herring, Abbey Lincoln, Martin Sasse Trio, Arturo Sandoval, Freddie Hubbard with Woody Shaw, Billie Holiday, Bud Powell, James Moody, Mingus Big Band, Valery Pnomarev (UA's spelling). Not bad; certainly better than the dreck on the pop "radio" channels UA also offrers. Problem is, no one will ever hear the jazz programming. The jazz channel is consistently pre-empted by "From the Cockpit", the opportunity to listen in on airline communications. Beats Bud Powell anyway, yes?

I don't know who to blame. Nervous passengers who think they are going to garner some insights about the flight that will make them feel safer (...as if a real cockpit emergency wouldn't result in immediate termination/editing of the broadcast...) Some meathead at UA who personally finds cockpit broadcasts better than jazz? Just general public malaise toward jazz? Somewhere along the way, UA must be paying for the rights to broadcast, or perhaps being paid to advertise the recordings.

Whatever, I'm complaining. If you fly UA and prefer jazz to air traffic control, you should too.

Okay, BeBop, off the soapbox.

I just got back from California- flew United both ways. I was pleasantly surprised by the jazz channel- lst, that they had one; 2nd, that the programming on it was diverse, interesting, and enjoyable. We should probably write them and encourage them to maintain the jazz option (they probably have some automated way of tracking the number of listeneers to the various audio channels).

Doesn't the cockpit preempt all audio channels when the Captain has something to say? As for the ground control/cockpit chatter, I thought that only comes on when nearing the airport, and after the audio on all channels has been ended?

Maybe the way to go is to go with something like an IPod, or an Mp3 player (?).

[wesbed]

There is a reason why United Airlines went bankrupt!

[John L]

A fine idea, but difficult in execution.  Because I travel constantly (without checked luggage), I really can't bring along a CD and headphones and batteries and CDs.  Moreover, once hitting the tarmac in (for example) Somalia, these things tend to disappear...often before even clearing immigration and customs.  (I know United doesn't fly to Somalia.) 

Moreover, it's the principle!  Don't claim to offer something and not do it.

good point. Of course, if the Somalians can groove as hard as their Ethiopian neighbors, you might switch to a local brand.

At any rate, I wear mine around my neck. And let any motherfucker try to take my bread and butter off of my neck...

Edited January 27, 2004 by John L

[Adam]

Leeway is right; cockpit announcements interrupt all the stations on in-flight "radio."

[BeBop]

Correct on the cockpit announcements. What I'm speaking of is air traffic control. On virtually every United flight I've taken (since 9/11, especially), the jazz channel (usually channel 9 or 13) does not broadcast jazz, but rather broadcasts plane to air traffic control radio transmissions. Continuously.

I can handle a brief interruption when the pilot come on to tell me we're leveling off at 3-5-0, or the flight attendants wish to remind me how to buckle my seat belt. But do I need air traffic control communications all the way across the Atlantic?

John L, don't tempt the Somalis, or the Ethiopians, or the Sudanese or the Khmer. In all likelihood, the BATTERIES in your CD player are worth more than your neck to them.

Leeway: glad to hear you lucked into a flight where the jazz was broadcast. It does happen from time to time. I'll cross my fingers next time I board a United flight.

[BruceH]

"Fly the obnoxious skies..."

You'd think they would throw in a switch that would kill the "From the Cockpit" crap. It's only common sense to think that some people don't want to hear those interruptions. ...Oh, wait a minute: "Common sense" and "airlines"---an oxymoron, right?

[BeBop]

Reply received from United customer service:

Thank you for contacting us. Your disappointment at having the Jazz

on Channel 9 switched to "From the Flight Deck" is understandable. I

too am a Jazz fan. I did a bit of research into your query and learned

that Channel 9 is only shared on three of our aircraft, the 757, 767 and

the 737. Apparently, when surveyed, a larger number of passengers

preferred "From the Flight Deck" over Jazz. I have shared your feedback with

our Onboard Planning team for their consideration in future programming.

As a frequent traveler, you are important to us and we appreciate your loyalty and support. We look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you aboard a United flight in the near future.

-----------------

Man, that hurts. Less popular than airtraffic control broadcasts...

[Dan Gould]

Only shared on three of our aircraft-but those models are 90% of our jet service!

And I wonder whether its "by the book" to self-identify as having similar tastes, so you think better of the representative and therefore better of the company. You know, "I'm sorry you did not receive your kosher meal. I too enjoy a bagel with a shmear every once in a while."

[Morganized]

BeBop,

I used to do a lot of traveling before I was laid off so I guess in some ways you should count your blessings. American Airlines was certainly guilty of the same thing, but my biggest complaint was that they seldom changed the program. I would tune into the Jazz Channel and a week later when I flew again, it would be the exact same program. I do remember a rather nice version of Good Morning Morning Glory but I listened to it so many times I can still hear it in my head...

Like I said, they solved my problem for me but I don't think you would like that solution very much. If I were you I would go the CD player route and if it gets "lost" along the way, be thankful you can just go to the store and buy another one.

[Peter Johnson]

Aw man, I'm flying UNTIED tomorrow afternoon and I thought y'all would have this all straightened out by now!

AND I'm on a 737!

I guess it'll be the Bose noise reduction 'phones and some rare groove for me!

[chris olivarez]

There is a reason why United Airlines went bankrupt!

Hey that was my line!!!