14 DAY TRIAL // In Q2 2015, United Airlines will begin dishing out iPhone 6 Pluses to its 23,000 flight attendants to help them carry out their duties faster, easier, and more efficiently.
The deployment of iPhone 6 Plus follows the airline's iPad deployment program a while ago, which enabled pilots to use paperless aircraft and flight decks, a program that was renewed with the deployment of iPad Air 2 tablets this year.
An iPhone for every flight attendant
The airline has officially confirmed that it will begin distribution of iPhone 6 Plus devices to more than 23,000 mainline flight attendants in the second quarter of next year. The delay is most likely tied to the supply bottlenecks. Currently, you can’t get an iPhone 6 in under a week by ordering it online.
The 5.5-inch handsets will be used to handle onboard retail transactions, as well as to access email, united.com, and the company's Intranet. The phones will be pre-loaded with policies and procedures manuals, as well as replacements for previously printed documentation, such as safety manuals, follow-up on aircraft cabin issues and repairs, etc. The airline further plans to design and deploy customer-focused apps.
“We are thrilled to make this investment in our flight attendants,” says Sam Risoli, United's senior vice president of inflight services. “iPhone 6 Plus will enable them to deliver an even higher level of flyer-friendly service and will offer our flight attendants simple, one-touch access to valuable work information, enabling them to better serve our customers.”
Apple and IBM can also help
California-based Apple and NY-based IBM announced a partnership yesterday where the two companies will start to offer specialized Enterprise apps across various industries, including Travel & Transportation.
The suite includes the Plan Flight app, which addresses fuel-related matters, allowing pilots to view flight schedules, plans, crew manifests, all faster and easier than ever before. Pilots can also use the app to report issues in-flight to ground crews.
Another Travel & Transportation app in the IBM MobileFirst suite is Passenger+. This one’s allows flight crews to offer personalized services to passengers in-flight, such as re-booking, baggage information, and special offers.
United’s press release can be found embedded below. To learn more about Apple & IBM’s new partnership, see our coverage from yesterday: Apple and IBM Announce MobileFirst Suite of Apps for iOS and IBM MobileFirst – Meet the Apps in Pictures. Skim through the related links below for more interesting iPhone 6 / iOS news.
