“Microsoft’s marketing coup in selling Delta Airlines its Surface 2 tablet for use as an Electronic Flight Bag in place of Apple’s iPad created friction with the company’s pilots, who ‘fought hard’ against the deal,” Daniel Eran Dilger reports for AppleInsider.
“‘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,” Dilger reports. “Delta began trials with Apple’s iPad as an EFB in late 2011, shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration approved Apple’s tablet for cockpit use. It further began purchasing thousands of iPads for use in its airport restaurants last year. This makes it surprising that the company just announced plans to use the “Surface 2″ devices Microsoft just unveiled, particularly because the company says it only plans to be ‘fully operational within two years.'”
Dilger reports, “Delta’s conservative rollout plans may be related to the fact that the Surface 2 apparently hasn’t yet been studied for use as a EFB.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Jeff A.” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: If Delta is willing to go cheap on tablets for their flight crews, where else are they willing to go cheap?
If desperate Microsoft didn’t simply dump their flop into Delta cockpits for free, they probably paid Delta to take them. There is simply no other reason for Delta to consign their flight crews to years of having to try to use a failed product, a flop of epic proportions. All other competent airlines already use iPads for their EFBs. Even Delta did before this stupid, shortsighted about-face.
Delta management screwed the pooch with aplomb. Talk about a crash and burn! The idiot at Delta who signed off on this deal should be fired. Delta Airlines now just looks cheap and stupid.
Buh-bye, Delta. Unless you wise up, we will never, ever fly your crap outfit again. Hope your sellout was worth it.
Related articles:
JetBlue latest airline to replace bulky paper manuals with Apple iPad-based Electronic Flight Bags – June 26, 2013
American Airlines first commercial carrier with FAA approval to use Apple iPads in all phases of flight – September 11, 2012
Delta Airlines launches Fly Delta app for iPad with ‘Glass Bottom Jet’ feature – January 11, 2013
Delta Air Lines begins rollout of 2,500 iPads for passenger use in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – August 29, 2012
FAA approves iPads in the cockpit; American Airlines to start Friday – December 13, 2011
All Nippon Airways to deploy 6,000 Apple iPads to train stewards – September 22, 2011
Qantas trials Apple iPads as in-flight entertainment option – September 15, 2011
United Continental pilots get 11,000 Apple iPads – August 23, 2011
British Airways brings new dimension to customer service using Apple iPads – August 18, 2011
Delta gives Apple iPads to pilots as electronic flight bag replacements – August 17, 2011
Apple’s revolutionary iPad creates the paperless cockpit – July 5, 2011
Alaska Airlines pilots using Apple iPads in cockpit – May 23, 2011
Mission-critical Apple iPads in cockpits may hasten end of era for paper charts – March 7, 2011
FAA authorizes use of Jeppesen app on iPad to replace paper aeronautical charts – February 16, 2011
Fokker and Navtech introduces Electronic Flight Bag hardware for Apple’s revolutionary iPad – January 28, 2011
Just tried to open Excel 4 times in a row this morning. Crashed EVERY time. Tomorrow it might work, today it’s in crash mode. It varies. Suuureee… that’s the kind of reliability on want on a FLIGHT. Good going Delta. Won’t be flying you until you ditch equipment and software that reliably crashes. (Yes I HAVE to use Excel, my employer’s estimate sheets are in it with macro’s needed).
I guess it is fitting as Delta sounds to close to that other hateful company, Dell. So now it’s MS, Dell and Delta. I pass on all 3.
The bank I work for changed credit card processors and it took two years to get the new system completely operational and relatively kink free. The numb wit that made the decision got free Super Bowl tickets and the VIP package for Suoer Bowl week. Then he retired before the flop hit the fan. The bank executive got thousands in perks and it cost the bank a million and made everyone miserable for two years! Sounds like the same scenario.
I find that news frightening with incredible potential ramifications. Who got paid off in this deal?
Boycott Delta Airlines. It scares me that my life may depend on substandard technology made by a Monkey Boy Buffoon. Besides, I strictly fly Jet Blue. Love having my own TV and those blue potato chips.
Add me to the list of never flying Delta again! Watch the video of the Surface crashing during it’s launch, lol… http://youtu.be/UEJTRJY8KEQ
Also, join me by adding a comment about how we feel on Delta’s blog… http://takingoff.delta.com/post/62719986002/delta-cockpits-go-paperless-with-microsoft-surface
Microsoft reminds me of the mafia.
Willing to strong arm someone in a back room to get their cut without offering anything in return.
I’d hate to be a stick in the mud but this is just from one pilot.
I’d like to see a few more voice their concern about this move.
Microsoft and airplanes. Terrifying.
No more Delta flights for me.. There is more at risk than the price of the product.. as was stated.. if they are willing to cut costs for an inferior product in the cockpit.. then I don’t trust the parts they use to repair their aircraft either! Maybe some cut rate parts supplier made them a good deal like Microsoft. Delta is no longer a premium brand airline if they do these kind of things. Especially going against the desires of the pilots that actually have to use them!
Delta (meaning “change”) won’t get off the ground with SURFACE.
Sure the pilots will not be hauling around this “Surface”?
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee692038(v=Surface.10).aspx
“Make sure that you have sufficient space to move a Microsoft Surface unit around your venue (for example, from a moving truck or loading dock through hallways, doorways, and elevators to its final location). Make sure that the areas are wide enough and have strong enough floors to support the Microsoft Surface unit.” “weight 88.9 kilograms
(196 pounds)”
Or this one –
http://tech.uk.msn.com/tablets/can-the-microsoft-surface-tablet-topple-the-ipad?page=7
Both the Surface for Windows RT and the new iPad have undeniable ‘wow’ factor when it comes to looks – and there is little to separate them in terms of size and weight. The new iPad (non-3G) weighs in at 652g, while the Surface for Windows RT tips the scales at 676g. Both are super-skinny – the iPad just 9.4mm thick, the Surface for Windows RT just pipping it at 9.3mm.
This is sad.
Just found out our incompetent IT department is moving us to Microsoft tablets from iPads. SUCKKK. Should have known. They make field employees us Android phablets phones. Most already have broken screens.
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