British Airways is giving all 15 000 of its in-flight staffers iPhone XRs, which is a pretty nice bonus if you ask us.
But it’s not a work perk. In fact, the airline notes that it’s part of a larger effort to “empower cabin crew to deliver personalised customer service to customers”.
No ad to show here.
And by larger effort, we mean a R121-billion budget across five years.
“The new phones will be loaded with a selection of apps to help crew offer customers instant additional assistance during their journey,” the airline adds in a press release.
These will give in-flight staff access to flier’s personal data, including flight history and meal preferences.
The rollout of tech in flights and on the ground isn’t a new thing for British Airways.
The airline earlier this year trialled the use of iPads by senior cabin staff, which are also used by Heathrow staffers on the ground.
Infrastructure that’ll allow the use of these phones in flight is also being considered, including WiFi “across the fleet” as well as a number of newer planes.
Speaking of which, BA just recently took delivery of its first Airbus A350. It’s expecting an additional three of these aircraft by year-end.
British Airways did not state whether the likes of Comair, which operates the airline’s South African branch, will also benefit from the move.
Feature image: Nick Morrish/British Airways
