ETW Staff– Mumbai
Aeroflot has become the first airline in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to digitise its crew by providing SITA’s CrewTablet to enhance in-flight service to its 20 million passengers. Starting in the last quarter of 2014, Aeroflot will work with air transport IT specialist, SITA, to equip cabin crew with 500 iPad minis, with a potential expansion to 1,200 tablets.
The rollout follows the successful conclusion of a five-month trial with 30 crew members in which the tablets received nearly a 90 per cent satisfaction rating on both technology and usability. Aeroflot’s CrewTablets enable its cabin crew to access passenger and operational data in-flight, improving onboard operations and enhancing service to passengers. In addition, with the use of digital forms and reports, CrewTablet helps Aeroflot reduce operational costs and back-office administrative tasks and generate fuel savings by decreasing the weight of traditional paper reports and manuals carried onboard.
The introduction of CrewTablet is part of Aeroflot’s innovation and mobility programme, which is designed to keep the company ahead of the market. In particular, the tablets mean cabin crew can provide an even better passenger experience. SITA delivers an end-to-end managed service including iPads, wireless connectivity, mobile applications, and system integration, as well as global operational support. CrewTablet also has the flexibility to add more functionality as new applications are developed and requirements change.
Dave Bakker, president, Europe, SITA said, “Aeroflot is one of the innovators– and the first in Russia – to use SITA CrewTablet technology to become more efficient in-flight. Aeroflot selected CrewTablet because SITA has developed a robust, cutting-edge mobile solution fully integrated into its IT infrastructure. We are already working closely with Aeroflot to connect these tablets to an in-cabin wireless service to enable live communication while the plane is in the air. It’s all part of SITA’s wider e-Aircraft concept, which is set to revolutionise how an aircraft integrates with the airline’s ground.