The Cult of United’s ‘Channel 9’
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 02.13.08 | 5:07 PM ET
That’s the channel on United’s entertainment system that plays real-time audio between air-traffic controllers and the pilots in the cockpit. It “tends to be the most listened to channel on its entertainment system during takeoffs and landings,” according to a terrific story in the Wall Street Journal. It’s also controversial.
United pilots are apparently fighting back during their contract talks by turning off the popular feature. They’re also worried about their work turning up on YouTube. Like this:
Some pilots “simply liken Channel 9 to cameras in the courtroom or videotaping in the operating room—many professionals don’t want people watching over their shoulders,” the Journal reports.
Devotees keep on listening, but I won’t be joining them.
I haven’t listened to the dialog between the cockpit and air traffic control while I’m flying since I was 15, when I overheard someone say “gear malfunction” and the pilot aborted our landing at LAX. Our second approach was successful, but I’d had enough. That was the only time I’ve been truly scared on a plane.
Now I just read, blissfully unaware.
Related on World Hum:
* A Week in the Life of American Airlines
Photo by Global Jet, via Flickr (Creative Commons)
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Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
John M. Edwards 02.14.08 | 1:25 PM ET
Hi Michael:
As someone born on the 9th day of an innoccuous month, I think this Channel 9 thing has a nice ringtone to it.
As we all know, doublechecking the numerology tables, a lot of cool things happened on the 9th: Beethoven’s best symphony, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the first Mayflower landing.
Channel 9’s skytime conversation between cockpit and tower is merely icing on the cake, a poppy orchestral piece to impress the cultural milieu, wearing Fantastic Voyage stretchsuits, gliding through the cumuli on a polished torpedo: literally “Cloud 9” fantasy plus.
TambourineMan 02.14.08 | 6:22 PM ET
Another former Channel 9 addict here. Had to quit after I heard ATF yell at my pilot on an extremely bumpy approach to Denver: “I’m not gonna tell you again, United! You’re coming in way too low!”
Michael Yessis 02.14.08 | 6:47 PM ET
Yeah, that’s not what you want to hear, TambourineMan.
And an extremely bumpy approach to Denver, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything other than bumps flying through there.