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Delta computer system meltdown puts all flights on hold
After a strange succession of software bugs and glitches delayed and grounded flights across several airlines last year, you'd think system resilience would be top-notch by now. Delta Airlines, however, is living through one of these nightmare moments today, with all departing flights on hold at the time of writing. A widespread computer meltdown is at the heart of the problem, with Delta issuing the standard "we're working on it" statement, and warning any passengers booked in to travel today not to head to the airport without checking the status of their flight first.
Delta to equip flight attendants with Nokia Lumia 1520s
The Lumia 820 just reached EOL at Delta. The airline's 20,000 flight attendants will be stepping up to the significantly larger Nokia Lumia 1520 "phablet" come this fall, matching the larger form factor that AA currently has in the sky. The 1520s will include flight manuals and can support on-board sales, letting employees process credit card payments on the fly. The move will also enable flight attendants to ditch the 500-page, five-pound manuals they're used to bringing on board, saving Delta more than $1 million each year in fuel and printing costs. Meanwhile, pilots are still on track to receive Microsoft's Surface 2 -- that process should be complete by the end of 2015. The 1520 will make its way on board much sooner, though. Delta is expecting to issue the Windows Phone 8.1 handsets beginning in October, with all FAs expected to have one in hand by the end of the year.
FAA clears Surface for takeoff in US cockpits
Begun, the airline tablet wars have? Microsoft's Surface 2 has just joined the iPad on the FAA's list of approved pilot EFBs (Electronic Flight Bags) for all phases of flight. That follows Delta's recent announcement that it would deploy 11,000 of Redmond's hybrid tablets in its cockpits instead of the iPad, which it also considered. Apple's tablet is already used by American Airlines and others, but Delta said it preferred the readability, productivity apps and other features of the Surface 2. Pilots will now be able to switch from heavy paper charts and books, which will supposedly save millions in fuel costs once the transition is complete in 2015. It also finally puts the pilots on parity with their passengers, as the airline was one of the first on board with the expanded use of personal electronics. Update: The Surface 2 has been approved by the FAA, not the Surface Pro 2. We've revised the post to reflect that.
You may be able to make in-flight calls next year, but not on Delta
In a company-wide memo sent to 80,000 Delta employees this morning, CEO Richard Anderson put his foot down on the issue of in-flight passenger calls. His definitive statement, "Delta will not allow cellular calls or internet-based voice communications onboard Delta or Delta Connection flights," will apply regardless of updated regulations from the FCC. That agency is considering lifting the ban on in-flight calls come 2014, but the Department of Transportation may follow up with its own ruling to maintain the phone-free environment many of us have come to enjoy at 30,000 feet. Meanwhile, powerful in-flight internet services, like JetBlue's recently launched Fly-Fi, take communications a step further, enabling VoIP and video chat services with performance that makes using these tools more than a novelty. Delta, for its part, will support non-voice cell services pending FCC and FAA approval: "if the FCC lifts its ban on cellular use in flight, Delta will move quickly to enable customers to use text, email and other silent data transmission services gate to gate." (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Delta and JetBlue now permit personal electronics use during all stages of flight
That was fast -- mere hours after the FAA said it would allow the use of personal electronics during takeoff and landing, airlines have begun flying under the relaxed rules. Passengers on both Delta and JetBlue aircraft are now free to use their mobile gadgets at nearly every stage of flight. Other major US carriers have yet to officially embrace the lightened regulations, although American Airlines tells Bloomberg that it's already applying for clearance. For the rest, it's likely just a matter of time -- but not too much time, we hope.
Delta changes course on iPads in cockpit and moves to Surface instead
Amidst a number of Microsoft announcements on Monday, September 30, is Delta Air Lines plan to use the Surface 2 in its 11,000 pilots' electronic flight bag (EFB). Delta plans to deploy the devices running Windows RT 8.1 by the end of 2014, which will provide an electronic replacement to the normal 35 to 40 pounds of paper documents and charts used previously. In an interview with a Delta pilot, AppleInsider reports that the pilots are not pleased with the choice of the Surface 2 tablet over the iPad. "We fought hard for iPad," a pilot working for the airline told AppleInsider. He described the Delta deal as being about money, travel contracts and Delta's Information Technology staff historically being " in bed" with Microsoft. Delta's rollout of the Surface 2 to pilots is dependent on the FAA's approval of these tablets. Microsoft only announced the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 the week of September 23, so Delta plans "an extensive testing period onboard the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767," reports AppleInsider. The Delta Surface 2 deployment announcement was joined by Microsoft also announcing new commercial Surface 2 use by other industries including financial services, healthcare, retail, hospitality and automotive, plus commercial availability of the Surface in seven new worldwide markets. In addition, business-specific apps are available in the Windows Store, and SAP and Omega Group have joined the AppsForSurface ISV Program, as reported by The Next Web. [via AppleInsider] Related Stories Delta Airlines to distribute Surface 2 to pilots after iPad trial, AppleInsider, 9/27/13. American Airlines finishes rolling out iPad flight bags, Engadget, 6/24/13. Delta deploying 4500 Apple iPads at US airport restaurants, AppleInsider, 8/19/12.
Delta expanding Gogo in-flight WiFi to select international flights beginning in 2013
Delta Airlines isn't a stranger to offering WiFi on many of its domestic US flights, but using Gogo's air-to-ground connection setup has essentially kept it from taking off over the seas. That's all set to change come 2013, however, as 150 of Delta's long-haul aircraft will make use of all those high-bandwidth Ku-band capacity satellites that Gogo has been acquiring over the past few months. The updated setup will ensure that you can update your Facebook status over the likes of the Atlantic, but it won't be fully rolled out until about 2015. By that time, the airline estimates it'll be operating around 1,000 Gogo-equipped aircraft worldwide -- not too shabby. If anything, the wait to hit 10,000 feet is surely going be more interesting for all the international work-a-holics out there. Hit up the press release after the break for more details in the meantime.
Delta teams up with Amazon to give you free WiFi access for in-flight shopping
SkyMiles distributor Delta isn't a newcomer to the land of in-flight WiFi freebies. And, while this time it's not setting a time limit on your browsing, you'll have to stay within the Amazon virtual walls to take advantage. The hook-up between the airline and online retail giant will allow passengers to do some up-in-the-clouds shopping at no cost, including its Wireless store. Delta says the goal is to offer a "convenient way to shop online at 30,000 feet for things they want on the ground." Other bits announced are also costless access to content from The Wall Street Journal and People magazine, as well as more "exclusive" deals. Now, if only we could be certain folks weren't going to be hogging all the Gogo bandwidth streaming Netflix -- we'd be set.
Delta offers up 30 minutes of free Gogo on all CES flights
Heading to join us at CES in Las Vegas? Delta is prepared to hook you up with 30 minutes of free in-flight WiFi on all of its flights to and from LAS beginning today. If you're flying in from the West Coast, that should have you covered for most of the trip. Otherwise, it's at least long enough to download your email or check to see if that farmland below is in Kansas or Nebraska. And if you opt to use social media during your flight, go ahead and throw in the #EngadgetCES as you rave about being able to tweet from the sky.
Reports: American Airlines wins FAA approval for in-cockpit iPads, will launch Friday
If you fly as an American Airlines premium passenger, you'll get to play with a Galaxy Tab. If you actually fly the plane, though, you'll have to make do with an iPad. According to ZDNet, the carrier has already won FAA approval to use iPads "as electronic chart and digital flight manual readers," making it the world's first airline to be totally tablet friendly. A source close to the situation tells ZDNet that AA "will begin iPad operations on B-777 aircraft" before expanding to other planes, and that both first and second generation devices have been cleared for cockpit use. An AA pilot, meanwhile, tells TechCrunch that the company's tablets will feature JeppTC (a flight chart app available in the App Store), and that all onboard slates will be required to fly with an extra battery. The program, slated to kick off this Friday, could also offer substantial savings in paper and fuel costs. According to Seattle Pi's estimates, a single iPad would replace some 35 pounds of paper per year, translating to approximately $1.2 million in saved fuel costs. Insiders say United and Delta are pursuing similar initiatives, with the latter reportedly looking for an Android-specific solution, though at the moment, only American Airlines has won the FAA's seal of approval.
Delta, AA iPhone apps could be worth a million frequent flyer miles
Participants in Delta's SkyMiles or American Airlines' AAdvantage frequent flyer programs, or anyone who would like a chance to win a million frequent flyer miles, should head over to the App Store now. Both airlines are providing contest incentives to get people to use their apps. American, for example, is holding the "Mobile Million" contest. Just download and install their app by October 15th, play a few games of sudoku (among other things, the AA app has a built-in sudoku game...), and you could win one of many prizes, including the grand prize of one million AAdvantage miles. Delta started the war of the contests with their "One App. One Million Miles" contest, which runs through September 29th. The big prize here is one million Delta Sky Miles. You have to be a Sky Miles participant to enter this contest with the app. If you're not, it takes less than a minute to join the program. Although your ability to use all those frequent flyer miles is subject to availability of reward seats, it's still a heck of a prize, and it costs you nothing to enter either of the contests except a little bit of time. [Tip to Gadling from @LuxeTiffany]
Delta to begin flight bookings on Facebook (updated: it's live now)
Delta has announced that it's going to allow booking of flights on Facebook, and it's launched a "Ticket Window" to allow users to do just that. This is apparently just the first of many Ticket Windows, which the company also plans on installing in banner ads, making it the first airline to move in this direction. Presumably the draw here will be to streamline the booking process, making it easier for Delta customers to book their flights. Delta, which is the largest commercial airline in the world is facing ever-increasing and savvy competition from smaller, more web-friendly airlines like Virgin and Jet Blue. It's unclear when the Facebook ticketing will begin, but for now, it's fair to say that, at least in theory, we "like" this. Updated: The company that developed the app, Alvenda, has informed us that it is, in fact, live on Facebook now -- so go start booking flights!
A Delta Airlines app is on the way
Rather recently, American Airlines released an iPhone app that offers quite a few nice features for the AA traveler, including flight status, boarding pass access and ... Soduku. With the exception of that last feature, travel app Kayak offers many of these features already, though it's not stopping other airlines from following suit. Just the other day, a Delta executive mentioned in a short interview that a Delta iPhone app is on the horizon. It's not clear yet what kinds of services and features the app will provide, though it's a safe bet the American Airlines app will give you a decent guess. What kinds of services and features would you want to see in an airline-dedicated iPhone app that's not already present in current offerings?
