American Airlines gives flight attendants tablets to improve customer relations

It’s hard to imagine employees and customers getting closer than they do in the aisles of an airplane, but American Airlines wants to get them even closer. Digitally, anyway.

The airline is testing a mobile system that provides flight attendants more passenger details with a goal of improving customer relations. Using Samsung devices, the pilot program has 40 of American’s 10,000 flight attendants tapping and scrolling through data such as seat assignments, requests for special services, and a customer’s loyalty program status and itinerary.