Your flight lands on time only to sit on the runway for 30 minutes. At this rate, you’ll have to make a mad dash for your connecting gate, for which you don’t have the information. Just as you start to panic, in walks an American Airlines flight attendant. She’s holding a sleek, new Samsung Galaxy Note. With one simple touch to the device in the palm of her hand, she informs you of your gate information and tells you not to worry because the connecting flight has also been delayed. Phew!
The stressful situation described above is all too familiar to many travelers. But the good news is if you fly American Airlines, you’ll soon experience the same heaven-sent customer service brought to you by their new inflight tablet program.
Later this year, all active American Airlines flight attendants will carry a Samsung Galaxy Note designed to access up-to-date customer information within seconds. The device will be a strategic tool for greater access to more information about the customers onboard their flights. American’s flight attendants can use the device to:
- Access customer information such as name, seat number, and loyalty program status in a seat map view and customer list view;
- Record meal and beverage preferences for premium class customers;
- Easily identify high-value customers seated in the premium cabins and in the main cabin, and customers requiring special assistance; and,
- Provide customers with connecting gate, flight delays, and weather information – pending FAA approval, all information will be automatically updated when Wi-Fi is available on the aircraft.
Additional functionality such as a flight attendant manuals and more will continue to roll out over time. Features like this will eventually eliminate the need for flight attendants to carry hard copies, which is more environmentally friendly.
American will distribute the devices to all of its approximately 17,000 flight attendants beginning later this year through mid-2013.
