American Airlines by mid-2013 plans to arm all of its flight
attendants with Samsung portable electronic devices, placing a wealth of
passenger and flight data at their fingertips, the carrier announced.
Calling to mind an iPad program British Airways launched
last year, AA later this year will begin rolling out Samsung Galaxy Note
devices to its roughly 17,000 flight attendants, following a pilot initiated
this spring with scores of inflight personnel.
Among data AA attendants could access with the devices are
individual passenger details, including name, seat number and frequent-flyer
status and meal and beverage preferences as well as information on connecting
flights or potential delays. AA noted that the information in the devices also
would enable flight attendants to "easily identify high-value customers
seated in the premium cabins and in the main cabin, and customers requiring
special assistance."
AA also plans eventually to use the devices for inflight
transactions, such as food purchases. "Additional functionality such as
the addition of the flight attendant manual and more will continue to roll out
over time," according to the carrier.
AA selected the Samsung Galaxy Note "tablet,"
which has a 5.3-inch display, in part for what the carrier called a "thin,
portable design." Its size is smaller than the iPad and, according to the
carrier, can fit into an attendant's pocket.
AA called the program the "first of its kind for any
airline," but it fits the mold of a BA program piloted last year and since
expanded.
BA in August 2011 announced that it had begun trialing the
iPad program with 100 cabin service directors, and since has expanded the
program to cabin service directors on long-haul flights globally and even some
airport ground staff.
"We're flying 700 flights a day with 7 million members
of our frequent flyer program," BA executive vice president of the
Americas Simon Talling-Smith told The
Beat last year. "Delivering personal service to 7 million members
requires some very clever use of data and technology. That's what we can do
with this iPad application, bring these very rich sources of data together with
our frontline staff."
In addition to displaying basic passenger manifest
information and details on seat assignments, BA's iPads also show inflight crew
if travelers have companions on the same flight, their frequent-flyer status,
any special meal requests and details from previous flights.
BA's program not only has served as a source of passenger
data, but also a new source of data input, as cabin service directors can key
in passenger preferences or other information inflight.
AA, meanwhile, has brought portable electronic devices into
the other areas inflight, securing this month Federal Aviation Administration
approval for pilots to use iPads to replace "paper-based reference
material and manuals often found in a pilot's carry-on kitbag," according
to the carrier.