Quatar airways to offer first class passengers loaner laptops
The electronic devices ban imposed on flights from certain middle eastern countries, to the UK and US have proved a thorn in the side for those middle eastern airlines which rely on business and first class passengers, on their long haul flights. This demographic of traveller is usually the type who will spend the journey working away on their tablet PC or laptop, but since the ban came into force is not able to. The airlines affected by the ban are worried that passengers may start to fly with other airlines based out of Europe, who aren’t covered by the ruling.
One airline has come up with a solution it hopes will keep its premium travels happy by offering to loan them a laptop for the duration of the flight. Quatar airlines advises it’s business travellers they can copy their documents onto a USB memory device that they can then use in the loaner laptops. No details have been given by the airline on the model or specification of the laptops available but we can expect them to be from a top-tier manufacturer such as Dell or HP.
An alternative approach by Etihad airways was to offer its passengers a loaned iPad and free WiFi access while on the flight. Another middle east airline was giving its passengers the option to use laptops right up to boarding, where they would be handed into airport staff for checking into the hold.
With no indication as to when the electronic devices ban maybe lifted the airlines hope these loaned computers help these airline’s hold onto their premier customers.