Cheapie airline provides inflight Tour de France TV coverage

Before Euro cycling fans get too excited the cheapie airline is American. But what a service! As well as inflight TdF coverage, those who fly with a bike in July get extra airmiles!

Flying is bad. It wrecks the planet and cheapie airlines are to be shunned by right thinking Earth lovers. Er, but an exception can be made for JetBlue Airways.

Cycling fans travelling on the low-fare airline in July can tune in to daily coverage of the Tour de France, beginning Saturday. The coverage is available on channel 37 of JetBlue’s personal seatback televisions.

JetBlue is awarding customers who travel roundtrip with a bike between July 7th and July 29th with 12 additional TrueBlue points. The additional points will be awarded in August, at the completion of the Tour de France. Travellers must be members of TrueBlue, the airline’s customer loyalty programme. JetBlue has staged a TdF promo each July since 2005.

“We provide more live sports coverage and special events than any other airline in the skies today and consistently seek out exclusive programming, like the 2007 Tour de France on VERSUS, that will entertain our customers and enhance their JetBlue experience,” said Eric Brinker of JetBlue Airways.

VERSUS’ TdF coverage includes commentary and insights from Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen, Bob Roll and Al Trautwig.

JetBlue flies from its home town of New York City to a number of US cities, including the most bike-friendly city in the USA: Portland, Oregon.