Airlines and Apple: how the technology giant is impacting on aviation

The relationship between Apple and airlines is getting closer. Here’s how:

• Airlines have realised that if they scrap their bulky entertainment systems and replace it with a lightweight tablet, they can cut out a significant amount of weight. Read about what Scoot’s doing.
  
• Apple’s new Passbook app will allow passengers to store tickets, loyalty cards and boarding passes on their phones. However, airlines have been warned Apple could become a gateway between them and their passengers.
  
• Depending on the device the customer uses, the online travel agency Orbitz, recommends different hotel products. Whether the customer uses an iMac or PC is one of the factors that determines the selection of hotels sown in search results. In general, could this be a feature of search in the future, where customers are less likely to be offered a low cost airline according to the type of computer they use?

What do you think? How much can airlines benefit from Apple, or do you agree with the concern that the company could come between the airline and the customer?