Dish Network Brings Live And On-Demand Video To Southwest Passengers

Southwest is already one of America's most beloved airlines due to its bags-fly-free policy, and now, technology lovers are about to have one more reason to chose this airline over the others. Dish and Southwest have joined hands in order to deliver a new TV Flies Free program. This will bring free live and on-demand TV to certain personal devices onboard all Southwest planes with Wi-Fi.


iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and "most other Internet-ready personal devices" will have access starting today, with live TV as well as up to 75 on-demand shows being on tap. For the first time, Customers flying on Southwest Airlines can stream directly to their personal devices live TV and up to 75 on demand titles for free, a savings of $5 per day.

"Southwest Airlines continues to innovate and evolve our on-board Customer experience," said Kevin Krone, Chief Marketing Officer at Southwest Airlines. "We started with Wi-Fi and now have expanded to television. This new offer puts free television in the hands of our Customers. Just one more way Southwest offers more value at 37,000 feet."

In-air access to live TV, on-demand programming and Wi-Fi connectivity is delivered by Southwest's satellite-based inflight entertainment and connectivity partner, Row 44. As part of the agreement, DISH also announced a promotion for new DISH customers signing up for the Hopper Whole Home DVR and a qualified programming package, offering 12,500 points in Southwest's Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program and the choice to receive an iPad 2. DISH is teaming up with Southwest Airlines for the nationwide marketing campaign to make its offer available to the airline's Customers.

Southwest's in-air live TV, delivered by connectivity partner Row 44, is available on most Internet-ready devices on most flights. The live-TV lineup currently features Bravo, CNBC, FOX 5 New York (WNYW), FOX Business Network, FOX News Channel, Golf Channel, MLB.com (Major League Baseball, when games are available), MSNBC, NBC 4 (WNBC), NFL Network, Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel. Popular TV show episodes are also available on demand as part of the TV lineup. Free TV, compliments of DISH, is a limited-time promotion.

Hopefully, this won't clog up the networks too badly -- after all, we still need to be able to send a routine e-mail in the air.