Information takes flight
Britannia Airways is providing PDA and laptop access to important information during flights, giving employees real-time access to the data.
The PDAs have been rolled out to Britannia cabin crew and are used to record and transact in-flight retail purchases and present flight documentation that is downloaded using wireless technology at the bases prior to the flight. The implementation expands the airline's use of Livelink collaboration and content management software from Open Text. The original application provides such preflight data as passenger manifests, staff schedules and security information.
"We have given our pilots and cabin crew the ability to take Livelink directly into the aircraft through portable electronic devices, providing around-the-clock access to the content so that they can make the best use of their travel time," says John Gough, Britannia program manager.
Adding that the system is particularly effective when used to deliver structured content enterprisewide, Gough says, "This is especially important today as we enter an age of heightened airline security. When applying this kind of holistic approach to the implementation, it is easy to see how its widespread adoption delivers demonstrable ROI through consolidation of disparate applications and increased flexibility."
According to a recent press release from Open Text, Britannia estimates it is saving more than £500,000 per year. Laptops have been rolled out to pilots, and the airline has been able to replace traditional paper-based manuals and pilot notices, reducing brief times and providing an audit trail to ensure pilots are meeting aviation guidelines, regulations, and policies.