• by David Goetzl , September 30, 2010

In a move that might boost Sunday afternoon traffic while providing the satellite operator with a marketing vehicle, JetBlue is adding the pricey DirecTV "NFL Sunday Ticket" to its in-flight TV lineup.

NFL games will take over channels that are part of the airline's 36-network menu on Sundays from Oct. 3-Jan.2. That means every NFL game during the regular season will be available to travelers.

JetBlue broke ground 10 years ago by offering in-flight TV on seat backs to every passenger for free. It's available throughout its domestic route system, which now covers more than 50 U.S. destinations.

JetBlue competitor Southwest said this week it would acquire AirTran -- neither has live TV on-board, slthough Internet access will eventually be available, allowing "Sunday Ticket" subscribers on Southwest to access the games in flight on laptops.

Alex Kaplan, who oversees sports marketing for DirecTV, stated that fans can watch each "Sunday Ticket" game now in a "sports bar, watching on their cell phone or iPad, or cruising at 35,000 feet." Up to 14 games each Sunday will be available all afternoon until 8 p.m.. The "Sunday Ticket" package offers customers all out-of-market games for about $320 a season.

The JetBlue lineup also offers NBC and ESPN; Sunday and Monday night games are also available, so the full regular season is covered.

JetBlue has deals as the official airline of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Its TV lineup includes four ESPN channels; CNN, Fox News and MSNBC; the four major networks; and MTV and VH1.