American Airlines, which was one of the first airlines to brag about live TV channels on international flights, is now following a flock of others by adding live channels to domestic flights.
The live lineup includes 12 channels (Bravo, CBS, CNBC, CNN, Disney, ESPN, Fox, NBC, NFL Network, Telemundo, TNT and USA) and is already available on around 100 of AA’s A319s and A320s, which have gotten WiFi upgrades. The upgrade program is ongoing and will extend the live TV to 700 by the end of next year.
As is the case with most other carriers, the live channels won’t be available on seatback screens, even where those screens exist. Instead, they will be available on passengers’ own laptops, tablets and phones via free WiFi—free for watching, but not for surfing.
