Continental will introduce in-flight email, TV next year

A new agreement between Continental Airlines and JetBlue Airways subsidiary LiveTV will bring new in-flight communications and entertainment options to Continental customers starting in 2009i, including TV and email services. Continental said it expects to offer the TV/email service on its domestic fleet of newer Boeing 737s – including the 737-700, -800, -900 and -900ER – and on its 757-300s. It’s the same email service that JetBlue recently started testing on one aircraft: Customers with WiFi-equipped laptops, smartphones and BlackBerries will have access to email and instant messaging via Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger, BlackBerry email and Blackberry Messenger services. The WiFi connectivity will be offered at no charge, Continental said, but a $6 fee will apply for economy class passengers who want to watch live TV (first class passengers will get TV for free). The DirecTV system will provide 36 channels of satellite-based programming at every seat, including CBS, NBC, Fox News, CNN Headline News, ESPN, Animal Planet, History Channel, Food Network and others.