<div><div style="float:right;margin-bottom:10px;"><a  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?text=sdasdasd&url=http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/british-airways-ipads/"><img style="border:none;margin-right:5px;" src="http://5.mshcdn.com/wp-content/themes/v7/img/share-buttons/stumbleupon.png" align="right" /></a>
<a href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/british-airways-ipads/&title=British%20Airways%20Tests%20iPads%20To%20Improve%20In-Flight%20Customer%20Service&related=true&style=true"><img style="border:none;margin-right:5px;" src="http://6.mshcdn.com/wp-content/themes/v7/img/share-buttons/diggme.png" align="right" /></a>
<a  type="box_count" name="fb_share" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/british-airways-ipads/&src=sp" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="border:none;margin-right:5px;" src="http://6.mshcdn.com/wp-content/themes/v7/img/share-buttons/fb.jpg" align="right" /></a>
<a  href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/british-airways-ipads/&service=bit.ly&source=mashable"><img style="border:none;margin-right:5px;" width="51" height="61" src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://mashable.com/2011/08/19/british-airways-ipads/" align="right"/></a></div><div style="float:left;margin-bottom:10px;"><img src="http://8.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/British-Airways-iPads.jpg" alt="" title="British Airways iPads" width="275" height="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-711779" /></div><div style="clear:both;"></div></div><br/>British Airways has announced it is testing <a href="http://mashable.com/follow/topics/ipad">iPads</a> with in-flight crew members to enhance customer service.

The iPads equip cabin crew members with a bevy of information on travelers, including their location on the plane, Executive Club status, previous travel arrangements, travel companions, special meal requests and other preferences.

The devices are also loaded with a library of British Airways documents, including safety manuals and schedules for crew members.

Traditionally (and currently, for the most part), in-flight customer service is managed using a "long scroll of paper, listing up to 337 customers," the company's <a href="http://press.ba.com/?p=1881" >announcement</a> says.

The iPads will mitigate the need for paper seating charts and will give flight attendants more information about individual travelers. And because British Airways flights are equipped with wireless 3G networks, the information stored on the devices can be updated mid-flight.

One hundred crew members have tested the iPads and have given positive reviews. The company aims to distribute iPads to all senior crew members across the airline in the coming months.

Airlines are becoming increasingly tech savvy on the consumer end -- offering <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/02/01/airlines-free-facebook/">free in-flight Facebook access</a>, <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/07/29/delta-living-social/">LivingSocial deals</a>, <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/08/02/foursquare-gogo-badge/">Foursquare tie-ins</a> and <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/06/10/case-against-social-media-department-infographic/">social media customer service</a> to travelers -- but British Airways' move to focus on enhancing its flight crew's access to tech gadgets is a less common step in the right direction.

<em>Image courtesy of British Airways</em><p style="margin-top:10px;"><i>For more <a href="http://mashable.com/business/">Business &amp; Marketing</a> coverage:</i><ul style="margin-top:0;" class="xoxo"><li><a href="http://twitter.com/mashbusiness"  rel="nofollow">Follow Mashable Business &amp; Marketing on Twitter</a></li><li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/mashable.business"  rel="nofollow">Become a Fan on Facebook</a></li><li><a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/mashable/business"  rel="nofollow">Subscribe to the Business &amp; Marketing channel</a></li><li>Download our free apps for <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/08/02/mashable-android-app/" rel="nofollow">Android</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable-for-mac/id412390413?mt=12" rel="nofollow">Mac</a>, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable/id356202138?mt=8"  rel="nofollow">iPhone</a> and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable-for-ipad/id370097986?mt=8"  rel="nofollow">iPad</a></li></ul></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?i=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?i=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?i=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:TzevzKxY174"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?d=TzevzKxY174" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.mashable.com/~ff/mashable/apple?a=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/mashable/apple?i=UVI5vMsPuLI:rN7Qf6h6mt8:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/mashable/apple/~4/UVI5vMsPuLI" height="1" width="1"/>