Over the past several months, several airlines have started to embrace iPads in the sky, and British Airways is the latest to start using Apple's tablet onboard. The company announced this week that 100 of its cabin crew will use the iPad to enhance customer service in the air.
The iPads will come equipped with passenger information including preferences, special diet requests, and Executive Club status. Rather than carry around paper passenger manifests, flight attendants will be able to refer to these iPads to check the cabin's seating chart and see which passengers are flying together.
"The iPad is already allowing us to offer a more personalized onboard service, but the possibilities for future developments are endless," Bill Francis, British Airways' head of inflight customer experience, said in a statement. "We're receiving great feedback from cabin and crew customers already. It allows the crew to offer the thoughtful service they want to deliver and customers are treated as valued guests."
While this change applies to the cabin, there have been related changes that some airlines have made to the cockpit. Several airlines have replaced bulky paper pilot manuals with iPads including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and most recently, Delta Airlines.
Using iPads rather than the traditional manuals is said to save both space and paper. Flight charts usually weigh at least 35 pounds, compared to the iPad's lean pound and a half. It's also cost effective. American is reportedly saving $1.5 million in printing costs by making the switch.
British Airways says its new program will roll out to all senior crew members in the coming months.