[August 22, 2011] BA Introduces Ipads to Boost Passenger Services Tweet Aug 22, 2011 (Tanzania Daily News/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- BRITISH Airways cabin crews have resorted to using the latest iPads model to bring a new dimension to customer service in the air. "The iPads is currently being tried with 100 cabin crews and there are plans to roll it out to all senior crew members in the airline in the near future," said Ms Saada Juma, the Commercial Manager with the Tanzania British Airways in an interview in Dar es Salaam over the weekend. She said the iPads would enable the cabin crew to have prior awareness of customer preferences and a greater understanding of each customer's previous travel arrangements. The iPad she said lets crew quickly identify where each customer is seated, who they are traveling with, their Executive Club status and any special meal requests. It gives cabin crew a whole library of information at their fingertips including timetables, safety manuals and customer service updates. "These are exciting times, with endless possibilities, our front -line colleagues will have access to new technology and customer data enabling them to provide a hospitality inspired service style- delivering those small touches that make a regular customer feel special," she said. It also means any issues can be logged with ground-based colleagues around the network prior to departure so solutions can be delivered while the flight is airborne, she added. When all the passengers have boarded and just before the doors are shut, members of the cabin crew are currently handed a long scroll of paper, listing up to 337 customers. With the new iPads cabin crew will simply refresh their screen when the doors have closed through wireless 3G networks and they will have a complete list of passengers on board. The British Airways' head of in flight customer experience Bill Francis said: "The iPad is already allowing us to offer a more personalized onboard service, but the possibilities for future development are endless. "We're receiving great feedback from cabin crew and customers already. It allows the crew to offer the thoughtful service they want to deliver and customers are treated as valued guests." The iPad is currently being trialed with 100 cabin crew with the aim to roll it out to all senior crew members across the airline in the coming months. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]