American puts Samsung tablets on planes

[Hatu]

American plans to deploy 6,000 Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices in premium cabins for domestic flights between New York’s JFK airport and Los Angeles, JFK and San Francisco, and Miami and Los Angeles served with 767-200 and 767-300 aircraft. Flights departing from Boston to Los Angeles on 757 aircraft will also have the tablets.

The tablets will also be available on international flights to and from Europe and South America served with 767-300 aircraft.

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2011/06/13/american-puts-samsung-tablets-on-planes.html?ana=yfcpc

 

[eolesen]

Cool idea, as long as it can connect to the media servers hinted at last month. Even better if they allowed free wifi on those vs. Paying for GoGo...

 

[care2purchasefood?]

Cool idea, as long as it can connect to the media servers hinted at last month. Even better if they allowed free wifi on those vs. Paying for GoGo...

How about settling the labor contracts!!! They cry wolf all the time. We have no money to pay our employees or fix our aircraft. But, we have tons of cash to purchase worthless Samsung Galaxy Tablets for our aircraft. Um, hello AA... I would say 90% of our premium passengers have an iPad, Galaxy Tablet or some other media device already.

I also bet, Samsung hooked the 5 crooks running this compAAny with a free Galaxy tablet!!

 

[FWAAA]

This thread isn't about labor contracts. It's about AA trying to keep up with other airlines in the revenue generation department. You know, the paying customers. Without whom there are no paychecks.

At retail, 6,000 Galaxy tablets would be a whopping $3 million total, and I'd bet serious money that AA got a price break on them for at least two obvious reasons:

1. The value to Samsung of having their tablet in the hands of AA's higher yielding (and in many cases, the more frequent flying) customers.

2. Whenever you buy 6,000 of something, you generally get a deal on the price.

I'd be surprised if AA had to lay out more than a couple million dollars or so.

Replacing the old IFE devices isn't keeping AA from "restore and more."

I assume that the marching army costs of these doesn't change from that of the Archos units and the clunky laptop-like 763 IFE devices.

Alaska rents its IFE devices in coach on long domestic flights; wonder if there's any revenue potential (directly or better ticket sales) if AA were to do the same on long flights?

 

[care2purchasefood?]

This thread isn't about labor contracts. It's about AA trying to keep up with other airlines in the revenue generation department. You know, the paying customers. Without whom there are no paychecks.

At retail, 6,000 Galaxy tablets would be a whopping $3 million total, and I'd bet serious money that AA got a price break on them for at least two obvious reasons:

1. The value to Samsung of having their tablet in the hands of AA's higher yielding (and in many cases, the more frequent flying) customers.

2. Whenever you buy 6,000 of something, you generally get a deal on the price.

I'd be surprised if AA had to lay out more than a couple million dollars or so.

Replacing the old IFE devices isn't keeping AA from "restore and more."

I assume that the marching army costs of these doesn't change from that of the Archos units and the clunky laptop-like 763 IFE devices.

Alaska rents its IFE devices in coach on long domestic flights; wonder if there's any revenue potential (directly or better ticket sales) if AA were to do the same on long flights?

No, its not about labor contracts. But, if AA is spending money on worthless items then its a problem. They cry wolf, we have no money. Last I checked 90% of the pax I see, have an iPad, tablet or some other kind of media device. They tested those stupid Archos units in coach on the S80 and nobody paid for them. I wouldn't either for $10!

Like I say to AA... Pay up or shut up!

 

[jersey777]

No, its not about labor contracts. But, if AA is spending money on worthless items then its a problem. They cry wolf, we have no money. Last I checked 90% of the pax I see, have an iPad, tablet or some other kind of media device. They tested those stupid Archos units in coach on the S80 and nobody paid for them. I wouldn't either for $10!

Like I say to AA... Pay up or shut up!

One has nothing to do with the other. I am all for this because the PED's we have now are junk and cause us extra work switching them out.

 

[commavia]

But, if AA is spending money on worthless items then its a problem. They cry wolf, we have no money. Last I checked 90% of the pax I see, have an iPad, tablet or some other kind of media device.

Providing a competitive onboard product for some of the company's highest-value paying customers in some of American's most premium markets is "worthless?"

One has nothing to do with the other. I am all for this because the PED's we have now are junk and cause us extra work switching them out.

Agreed.

I flew JFK-SFO in F a few months back, and I felt so bad for the really great Purser - she literally had to swap out my PED four times because they kept breaking. Those things are total crap - the high cost of cheap as many things have gone at AA in recent years (the infamous powdered milk, only re-configuring the 763s back to the Y mid-cabin and leaving the old cabin in the back, etc.).

 

[gizmo_sc]

If AA wanted to do something along these lines. they should have purchased IPADs. I have owned the first generation IPAD since it came out. It is not a replacement for a laptop but great to watch movies on or quick surfing.

 

[care2purchasefood?]

Providing a competitive onboard product for some of the company's highest-value paying customers in some of American's most premium markets is "worthless?"

Yes I do! Those Highest-Value Paying customers as you call them, can afford to buy their own or most likely already have one. Anytime a deal is made at this compAAny, it benefits 5 people:

1. Gerard Arpey

2. Thomas Horton

3. Danny Garton

4. Robert Reding

5. Isabella Goren

 

[damajagua]

One has nothing to do with the other. I am all for this because the PED's we have now are junk and cause us extra work switching them out.

Totally agree with you jersey 777

 

[eolesen]

If AA wanted to do something along these lines. they should have purchased IPADs. I have owned the first generation IPAD since it came out. It is not a replacement for a laptop but great to watch movies on or quick surfing.

I love my iPad as well, but getting 6000 of them would be a challenge right now. Apple is still having supply chain issues following the earthquake in Sendai, and with high demand and low supply, Apple isn't budging at all on pricing for corporate buys from what I'm hearing.

It would not surprise me in the least if Samsung worked out a deal at cost, if not free, again, just for the product placement value.

 

[fltguymk]

One has nothing to do with the other. I am all for this because the PED's we have now are junk and cause us extra work switching them out.

I am so thrilled to see the PED's go! They are total pieces of crap. We spend way too much time in flight managing these things. I can't wait to see tablets!

 

[Mach85ER]

I love my iPad as well, but getting 6000 of them would be a challenge right now. Apple is still having supply chain issues following the earthquake in Sendai, and with high demand and low supply, Apple isn't budging at all on pricing for corporate buys from what I'm hearing.

It would not surprise me in the least if Samsung worked out a deal at cost, if not free, again, just for the product placement value.

6000 is probably a lowball number for Apple. I can vision an AMR buyer sitting in the waiting room with a bunch of other under 50K unit buyers while the Apple sales exec plays 18 holes with 3 buyers of 1 million plus units.

 

[Bob Owens]

This thread isn't about labor contracts. It's about AA trying to keep up with other airlines in the revenue generation department. You know, the paying customers. Without whom there are no paychecks.

At retail, 6,000 Galaxy tablets would be a whopping $3 million total, and I'd bet serious money that AA got a price break on them for at least two obvious reasons:

1. The value to Samsung of having their tablet in the hands of AA's higher yielding (and in many cases, the more frequent flying) customers.

2. Whenever you buy 6,000 of something, you generally get a deal on the price.

I'd be surprised if AA had to lay out more than a couple million dollars or so.

Replacing the old IFE devices isn't keeping AA from "restore and more."

I assume that the marching army costs of these doesn't change from that of the Archos units and the clunky laptop-like 763 IFE devices.

Alaska rents its IFE devices in coach on long domestic flights; wonder if there's any revenue potential (directly or better ticket sales) if AA were to do the same on long flights?

Does Southwest pass out tablets for their passengers to play with?

 

[paul1]

we aren't southwest!!!!!!!! so who knows who cares!! Bob are you not trying to get us a contract this week!!!!!!!!!!!!