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Coming soon: pick airline seatmates via social networks
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines plans to launch a service in 2012 that will enable you to pick who you sit next to on an airplane by visiting their Facebook or LinkedIn pages. "Meet & Seat" will be an opt-in service (similar to that already toyed with by Malaysia Airlines), so you can still fly anonymously -- as anonymous as air travel gets these days, anyway. It could be great for making friends or developing business contacts on your next international flight, or it could make for some really awkward conversation too. "So, your Facebook profile says you like Justin Bieber?"
Boeing officially delivers 787 Dreamliner to ANA, future of air travel finally arrives
It's the plane so nice, they unveiled it twice. Boeing once again presented its long-awaited and much-delayed 787 Dreamliner to client All Nippon Airways, but this time the goods were officially delivered. After taking the wraps off the airliner early this August, the aerospace company managed to get a flight-ready unit over to its Everett, Washington production plant for a celebratory hand-off. Despite a fit of stops and starts for the line's rollout, Boeing expects to meet ANA's order of its future 55-strong fleet, producing an additional 20 craft for the Japanese airline by 2013's end. If you want to be among the select few to call "First!," you might want to consider booking that Japan-bound vacation now.
Boeing hitches Android to its 787 Dreamliner ride, powers in-flight options with Google juice
Looks like Boeing's decided to get in bed with Android a mile-high in the sky. The aerospace company has exclusively selected Google's mobile OS as the might behind its new class of 787 Dreamliners' in-flight entertainment. Currently in production jets, of which there are over 800 plus orders, will get outfitted with either a Panasonic or Thales model of the 7- to 17-inch screens. And in a strange twist of luxury privileges, first and business class passengers won't get to enjoy the touchscreen tech, as their monitors will be too large and too far out of reach. Instead, an alternate gesture-based control method is being explored by the company for elite travelers, although nothing's been solidified. Don't expect the planes to launch with the typical Android market experience, either -- apparently, "airline-specific apps" are on the way for the nascent fleets' launch. Now, if only they could replace those flight attendants with little green robots.
Delta intros WiFi-enabled regional jets, Christina Ricci absent from flight launch
You've probably flown the friendly skies surfing along intermittent WiFi, but a hopper flight with the same amenities? Not until now. Delta's continuing its commitment to in-flight WiFi by rolling the service out to its regional jets. Hailing it as a first for its "two-class regional fleet," the airline plans to add 250 Delta Connection jets to the 560 plus roster of currently internet-enabled planes. The carrier's inaugural service flight took off from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and treated passengers to free WiFi courtesy of a complimentary 30-day Gogo pass. Now, instead of catching up with those long lost Zzzs and arm wrestling with your aisle frenemy, you can keep up with the Kardashians or relive the Pan Am nostalgia on your cruise through the clouds. Jump past the break to read the company's celebratory spiel for yourself.
British Airways testing iPads to enhance customer service
Airlines are embracing iPads in a big way. Just yesterday, we featured a story about another airline -- Delta -- that is replacing the bulky flight bags that cockpit crews carry around with lightweight iPads packed with information. Now British Airways has announced a trial program in which 100 cabin crew members are using iPads to streamline and enhance customer service. The iPads are chock-full of information about the passengers on a particular flight, and the information is updated just prior to departure when a list of boarded passengers is uploaded to the device. This replaces the traditional printed seating chart, and also adds information about Executive Club status and special meal requests. Paper handbooks and timetables are also being replaced by the iPads, which are loaded with digital facsimiles of safety manuals and schedules for the flight crews. Should a passenger on a British Airways flight have an issue or complaint before takeoff, the incident can be logged and shared immediately with ground-based customer support personnel for resolution en route. British Airways says that the iPads are already receiving "great feedback" from both crew and customers. The airline hopes to roll out more devices to all senior cabin crew within the next few months.
Boeing presents first Dreamliner 787 to ANA, flights start in September
After years of delays, hacker vulnerabilities, and technical hiccups, Boeing is finally reaching the finish line -- the 787 Dreamliner is ready. The first of the firm's fantasy flyers was presented to executives of All Nippon Airways this week, scoring ANA a dreamy new jet that promises to increase fuel efficiency by 20 percent when compared to similarly sized birds. The 787 owes its fuel savings (and selling point) to a primary structure comprised of 50 percent composite materials by weight; the much larger A380 sits pretty at 25 percent composite, for comparison's sake. Despite the official presentation, the inaugural Dreamliner is still just shy of actual delivery, requiring a few more test flights before beginning domestic service (in Japan) this September.
Hybrid rocket / seaweed jet ready to fly in 2050, keep emissions above ozone (video)
What's cooler than jetting from Paris to Tokyo in under three hours? Getting there in a biofuel burning hybrid rocketplane. The recently announced superjet, the Zehst (short for "Zero Emission Hypersonic Transportation"), loopholes around the whole pollution angle by only using its rocket engines in the stratosphere. Below the ozone however, seaweed-biofuel powered jet engines will kick in for some keen, green landings. Don't get too excited though, the EADS won't even have a prototype ready until 2020, and commercial flights aren't expected to follow until the hump of the century. Look on the bright side though, you've still got that airline-approved Galaxy Tab to keep you occupied for the next four decades of long, dark, redeyes. That's almost as cool, right?
Alaska Airlines ditches paper flight manuals for iPads
The iPad has already gotten the go-ahead from the FAA as a replacement for paper flight charts and maps, and now Alaska Airlines has become the first major US airline to hop on board the paperless bandwagon. While it's not quite ready to ditch paper navigation charts just yet (though that is under consideration), the airline has announced that it will be replacing its traditional flight manuals with iPads, which will be loaded up with the GoodReader app and PDFs of 41 different manuals and other materials. According to the airline, that change will result in savings of about 2.4 million pieces of paper, and it says the cost of the project will be offset by fuel savings from the reduced weight, and additional savings that are expected from "fewer back and muscle injuries caused by pilots carrying flight bags," which can weigh up to 50 pounds. Let's just hope those newly lightened flight bags still have room for a charging cable.
Panasonic gives its in-flight entertainment system an Android makeover, adds 3D displays
Panasonic has been kicking around the idea of a tricked-out Android-based in-flight entertainment system for awhile, and now it's ready for airlines to start retrofitting their livery. The system, dubbed eX3, runs Android, relieving restless fliers with news, live television, games, and what the company calls on-board social networking, but that's mostly a nod to the Facebook app. Other amenities include broadband internet access and GSM service, touchscreen controllers, capacative screens, proximity sensors, and, in some cases, 3D displays. Not going to front -- we're stoked on the idea of tuning out on-board babies via multi-hour Angry Birds sessions, but we're seriously hoping the airlines ignore one of the system's marquee features: in-flight video conferencing. %Gallery-120630%
Boeing's biggest jet takes flight, promises lowest 'seat mile' cost of any commercial airliner
Boeing took a huge -- both literally and figuratively -- step in the development of the largest commercial jet in its history when the 747-8 took to the skies for the first time. Granted, the airframe's cargo version has already logged over 1,600 hours up in the air, but putting the 250-foot passenger plane with a 224-foot wingspan -- 19 feet longer and 13 feet wider than the gargantuan 747-400 -- through its first few paces without incident is no small feat. The 747-8 borrows some of the 787 Dreamliner's weight-trimming tech for better fuel efficiency and lower operational costs than older 747s and jumbo jet competition from Airbus. We just hope it didn't inherit the 787's penchant for delays as well. If all goes according to plan, the new jetliner should complete the 600 test flight hours needed for FAA certification in time to deliver the first 747-8s to customers by the end of the year. We doubt airlines will use the plane's extra space to give us shlubs riding coach any more legroom, but at least its improved all-around efficiency should make flying a little cheaper. PR's after the break.
Australia's Jetstar Airways takes the training wheels off iPad rental program, wants the tablet 'on every aircraft'
Here's a quick and easy way to escape the mediocrity of those tiny low-res LCDs embedded in the seat in front of you: slap down 10 Australian dollars and upgrade to the iPad's IPS goodness for the duration of your Jetstar Airways flight. This rental option has been available on the Australian airline's flights since June, but only in pilot form (insert your own jokes here), and the feedback has been good enough for the company to make it a fleet-wide policy. "Movies, music, magazines, books and games" will all come preloaded, so you shouldn't fret about having to shell out extra hunting around for content. Licensing agreements are expected to be finalized shortly, with the rental program rolling out in full this April.
Seven airlines now offering free in-flight Facebook
Free and fast in-flight WiFi may be an unrealizable dream, but free in-flight Facebook? Wish no more. As of today, seven airlines are running a promotion with Gogo internet to bring your in air Facebook dreams to life. The airlines include Delta, AirTran, American, Virgin Atlantic, Alaska, US Airways, and United, who with Gogo now offer internet on 1,100 commercial and 5,000 private planes. It's unclear how long the promotion will last -- nothing good lasts forever -- but get in there while you can and do a few status updates, maybe check out your friends' awesome Groundhog Day 2011 links.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner delayed again, expectations still sky high
That's right, the 787 Dreamliner, which has airlines all aflutter over promises of increased fuel efficiency, has been delayed yet again. Boeing announced yesterday that customers can expect to see the plane in the third quarter of 2011: one in a long line of setbacks that have put it three years behind schedule. However, despite delays, it seems customer confidence hasn't waned. In fact, the New York Times reported that 787 buyers still find a summer release perfectly practical, leading to a three percent rise in Boeing stock. Trouble for the 787 started back in 2008, with the FAA warning of hacker vulnerability, followed by a 2009 discovery of structural weakness, and an on-board fire last November. Even with delays, and cancellation of at least 60 orders, the 787 still has about 850 pre-orders: more than any other mid-size commercial liner in history. So what's keeping the 787 Dreamliner afloat? Well, mostly promises of a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency, thanks to a design that's 50 percent composite materials. Clearly, testing the 787 hasn't been a dream, but it seems nothing can keep this plane grounded for good.
Zune HD taking to the skies with United Airlines in-flight entertainment trial
Microsoft and United hooked up back in June for a hardware-less Zune partnership, which seems to have turned out pretty sweetly for both parties. Dave McLauchlan, chief Zune HD evangelist, has dished the news that the two companies are stepping up their relationship with a set of 500 Zunes being provided for long-haul flights to Hong Kong and Australia. Before you cry foul and say you never get on a flying tin can without your own media, Microsoft's angle here will be to preload those OLED-sporting babies with exclusive content, including flicks that haven't yet made it to a DVD release. Dave himself has been running around movie studios and closing deals, while the Zune HDs in question have now been encased in rubber, had their screens protected, and batteries charged. See them in a group shot after the break.
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!
easyJet airline plans to fit its planes with ash detectors
UK budget airliner easyJet unveiled a plan last week to install ash detectors on its fleet of planes. The radar devices will be fitted to the tail fin, and should be able to detect ash clouds within 60 miles and will work like other weather-detection systems already in use to pick up on thunderstorms in advance. The new ash cloud system is being dubbed the Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector, A/K/A AVOID, and it'll provide both pilots and air traffic control to see an ash cloud at altitudes between 5,000 feet and 50,000 feet, and easyJet's CEO Andy Harrison thinks it could have the power to "make large-scale ash disruption history." easyJet will have to have the devices approved by European regulators and widespread adoption across the airline to have much effect. easyJet is spending around $1.46 million to research and outfit its planes with the systems.
GPS-based air traffic control system to go live by 2020
If you've ever watched an investigative journalism show that exposes things you didn't know you had to worry about, there's a good chance you've seen footage of the archaic green-screens in use at airport towers across the country paired with shocking headlines like "Hidden Airport Menace" or "Glidepath to Danger." Plans to replace that tech are finally in motion, with the FAA indicating its new air traffic control system will go into effect by 2020, possibly as early as 2015. This system requires that any aircraft flying within commercial airspace must have a GPS-equipped navigation system -- and we don't mean a TomTom stuck on the windshield. These systems will cost between $5,000 and $10,000 for small planes and are able to beam information to ground control stations that will no longer have to rely exclusively on radar. The plan could cost the FAA alone roughly $4 billion, giving bored local news personalities something else to sensationalize.
PSP systems being offered to airlines
Don't be too shocked if your next flight offers you a PSP as part of your in-flight entertainment package. IFE Services has announced a new partnership with SCEA to offer airlines the ability to add custom tailored PSPs to flights. In addition to being "fully certified for use in-flight," the systems will include an extended life battery which offers up to 11 hours of playback -- perfect for lengthy flights. In addition, IFE will offer "comprehensive crew training" for flight attendants of interested airlines. IFE Services currently works with six airlines, including South African Airlines, making today's announcement perfectly timed for any South African bloggers flying out for upcoming video game conferences.
American Airlines launches online widget to sniff out WiFi-equipped flights
You may bang on the legacy airlines, but American Airlines has a good thing going here with Gogo. The outfit has just completed installation of in-flight WiFi on 150 of its MD-80 aircraft, and in order to give you a better idea of how to prepare, it's now launching an online widget that'll let you know if your bird will enable web surfing when you get on. The tool is completely web-based, so any PC or smartphone can access it; the only real knock is that it only informs you of a "yes" or "no" 24 hours prior to departure, so it's still impossible to book a flight 3 months out and know for certain if you'll be able to hop online. This is definitely something that should be adopted by the other airlines (pronto!), but we can't help but dream of the day when something like this is unnecessary due to in-flight internet becoming completely ubiquitous. Ah, the future -- how you tease us so. Demonstration vid is after the break.
Man files $1 million lawsuit against US Airways for lost Xbox 360
A Yale student is suing US Airways for $1 million in compensation for his lost Xbox 360 and the emotional toll of attempting to recover it. He claims he had an Xbox 360 with a "specialized hard drive" and other fancy components worth more than $1,000 (is that the kind with the really, really loud drive noise?) in his checked luggage, and when he went to pick up his luggage it was considerably lighter than before, with the Xbox 360 and components found as the only thing missing. Sounds like no-fun-at-all, and the "run-around" he got with speaking to five different airline employees sounds equally painful, but we're not sure how that all adds up to $1,000,000 -- the maximum allowable by law in his state. US Airways says that not only does the federal limit of liability for lost luggage top out at $3,300, but that electronics checked in luggage are specifically excluded from liability. How kind.[Via Joystiq]
