Summary Delta Air Lines pioneered live TV on flights in the 1990s, offering real-time content like the 1996 World Series. The airline expanded live TV on domestic flights in 2016 and now offers an 18-channel lineup with popular networks. Delta's commitment to in-flight entertainment and innovation ensures a modern, connected living room experience for passengers.
Delta Air Lines has long been a pioneer in in-flight entertainment, continuously adapting and evolving to meet its passengers' requirements for entertainment. From the first attempts of live television on a commercial flight in the middle of the 1990s to the current modern-day options of live TV across its vast fleet of modern aircraft, Delta's commitment to increasing the passenger entertainment experience is evident. Let's trace back history and discover the entertainment journey of Delta's live TV offering, exploring its origins, development, and what it looks like nowadays.
The early days: testing live TV Delta Air Lines first tuned into live television during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. At that time, Delta transformed a Boeing 767s, famously known as "The Spirit of Delta," into a testbed for live TV. This aircraft was of great significance and pride to the airline, having been purchased by employees as a gesture of thanks to the company.
This was before airlines were in continuous competition of who had the biggest TV. The concept alone of live TV was sufficiently groundbreaking. Delta's new offering will.