Qantas offers passengers their own iPad

The new service, which supplies an iPad for use during the flight, is being offered in all classes on flights between Sydney and Honolulu on the airline’s Boeing 767 aircraft, which have also been refitted with leather seat covers in business class, new carpeting, lighting, curtains and cabin dividers.

Entertainment programs are streamed directly to the iPads using the aircraft’s inflight entertainment technology, Q Streaming, which taps into the plane’s onboard WiFi.

Over the next few months, new interactive games, travel and business-related apps, as well as digital newspapers and magazines will be added, says Qantas.

While Qantas offers iPads, American Airlines hands out Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets to passengers traveling on select routes such as New York’s JFK airport and Los Angeles, and international flights to Europe and South America on flights served with 767-300 aircraft.

Meanwhile, last year PC World magazine named Delta the most technology-friendly airline in the US for offering charging stations and iPad installations, onboard WiFi, and its Fly Delta app which allows passengers to track their checked baggage by scanning the bag tag with their smartphone.