Delta Air Lines will be handing out Nokia Lumia 1520s to its legion of over 20,000 flight attendants beginning this fall, replacing the smaller Lumia 820s they're already using. This will give those in the cabin useful tools as well as reduce fuel and printing costs enough to save the airline a million dollars annually.
The devices will allow flight attendants to take food & beverage orders, view updated flight information, and view information about each passenger including frequent flier status and special meal requests. It will also lighten the load they have to travel with, as it will contain their On-Board manual. In paper form, the manual comprises 500 pages, which Delta says cost over $1 Million in printing costs and fuel expenses (due to the weight of the paper) every year.
Delta SVP In-Flight Service Joanne Smith said,
"Delta continues to invest in the latest tools and resources for our flight attendants to provide exceptional service to our 165 million annual customers. These state-of-the-art devices represent yet another example of the many technology innovations we're developing, and will be essential as Delta continues to further personalize the on board experience."
Delta says their Lumia 1520s will run Windows 8.1 software. The solution was developed in conjunction with Microsoft, AT&T, Avande and Nokia. Delta's pilots began using Microsoft Surface 2 tablets last fall as electronic flight bags.