Hooked up.

Since I am always traveling - short puddle jumps and cross country flights - this is awesome news. Now I can take one more thing out of my carry on bag and just let the airline carry my charger! haha.

June 16, 2008 7:52 AM PDT

United Airlines: $15 for that checked bag, but you can charge your iPod for free

Posted by Caroline McCarthy

(Credit: New Line Cinema)

United Airlines has been subject to some pretty bad press recently for being one of several airlines to slap a $15 fee on checked bags, but here's a perk: The airline carrier announced Monday that it's starting to install iPod and iPhone connectivity features in its airplanes.

More specifically, owners of Apple's media devices can hook them up to the planes' in-flight entertainment systems; they can navigate through music and video on the seat-back televisions while charging the devices in the process. The connectivity technology has been manufactured by Panasonic Avionics.

It's the first U.S. carrier to do so, a release from United said. Late in 2006, iPod manufacturer Apple had announced that it had struck a deal with United--as well as fellow domestic carriers Continental and Delta and overseas carriers Air France, Emirates, and KLM--to configure in-flight iPod connectivity.

For United, the iPod cables won't be everywhere immediately. For the most part, they'll be installed on planes that make transatlantic flights, and in some cases will be restricted to first and business classes. The first "iPod flight," United #936, will take off at 5:40 PM ET on Monday in Washington, D.C. and fly to Zurich.

So, D.C.-to-Zurich pond-hoppers: Guess you can now watch Snakes on a Plane on a plane.