Airline, the ITV show currently in its sixth series looking at the day-to-day operations of low-cost carrier Easyjet, is making the transatlantic hop with ten half-hour episodes to air on the A&E channel.
The American version, produced by Granada, will feature Southwest Airlines - also a low-cost airline. The ten shows, to air during the first quarter of 2004, will look at Southwest's operations from its Los Angeles hub. Joe Houlihan, Airline's Co-Executive Producer at Granada, said:
"We're delighted to be working with A&E and Southwest Airlines to make Airline in the US. We're particularly pleased that we've been able to draw on a production team made up of both British and American talent to make the series. Airline has been a phenomenally successful series for ITV and we're sure American viewers will find the thrills and spills of life behind the scenes of this huge airline fascinating."
A&E's Senior VP of Programming, Robert DeBitetto, said: "We're thrilled to have this unprecedented partnership with Southwest Airlines. The many flights of Southwest Airlines offer the perfect vehicle for a multitude of compelling stories. The pilots, flight attendants, airport employees and others interact every day with hurried executives, crying children, weary travelers and heightened security. It's a crazy way of life, and one that is extraordinarily interesting to watch."
Other series Granada is currently producing for American TV include Room Mates for MTV, Crime Scenes Uncovered for TLC, and House of Dreams for A&E.
The American version, produced by Granada, will feature Southwest Airlines - also a low-cost airline. The ten shows, to air during the first quarter of 2004, will look at Southwest's operations from its Los Angeles hub. Joe Houlihan, Airline's Co-Executive Producer at Granada, said:
"We're delighted to be working with A&E and Southwest Airlines to make Airline in the US. We're particularly pleased that we've been able to draw on a production team made up of both British and American talent to make the series. Airline has been a phenomenally successful series for ITV and we're sure American viewers will find the thrills and spills of life behind the scenes of this huge airline fascinating."
A&E's Senior VP of Programming, Robert DeBitetto, said: "We're thrilled to have this unprecedented partnership with Southwest Airlines. The many flights of Southwest Airlines offer the perfect vehicle for a multitude of compelling stories. The pilots, flight attendants, airport employees and others interact every day with hurried executives, crying children, weary travelers and heightened security. It's a crazy way of life, and one that is extraordinarily interesting to watch."
Other series Granada is currently producing for American TV include Room Mates for MTV, Crime Scenes Uncovered for TLC, and House of Dreams for A&E.
