This New American Airlines Policy is Everything That’s Wrong With America

A Flyertalk member reported that the main American Airlines Admirals Club at Chicago O’Hare airport will no longer tune the television channel at the bar to national news “because of a recent fight or fights” and instead they’re willing to show local news and cooking shows.

I reached out to American and it turns out they aren’t aware of any bar fights in their lounges. However they’ve instructed clubs not to show national news on their televisions unless requested by a member.

Apparently news channels are simply too divisive. Gone are the days when we all watched CNN’s Airport Network. Instead we have to choose between:

  • Fox News (‘Trump News’)
  • CNN (‘Fake News’)
  • MSNBC (‘Telesur‘)

They could tune to CNBC but the markets have been really depressing lately.

Two years ago Southwest baggage handlers slapped ‘fake news’ on a checked CNN camera which is better of course than the camera being stolen by the TSA.

If we can’t watch the news in an airline club in peace — when we fight over the news instead of sports — what does that say about our society?

Can we get back to sports please?

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. The national media is biased – it’s obvious to anyone with an ounce of intelligence and it goes both ways. I’d love to have all national so called “news” programs removed from public space, including airport and airport lounges, gyms, etc. Let people watch this spectacle at home or on their mobile devices.

  2. I guess I’m not surprised. I spent a layover recently in one of the Miami Admirals Clubs and found that a favorite website was restricted “due to content.” I read a lot of news from sources all over the political map, but this particular website leans right. I never expected the airlines to censor my internet content. Guess I got a glimpse of life in Russia or China.

  3. A good member would just broadcast their news from their computer via Bluetooth onto the club’s TV Screen.

  4. @bgodiver should enjoy Russia or China; both authoritarian regimes with morals-free Presidents.

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