Jetstar aims for an iPad Christmas

Jetstar's domestic passengers can expect to be using iPads for in-flight entertainment in time for Christmas.

Jetstar is planning to finalise deals to get Apple iPads in-flight by year end.(Empty seats on a plane image by Soon, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Jetstar's chief information officer (CIO) and general manager of IT, Stephen Tame, told ZDNet Australia yesterday that the company is targeting a roll-out of the devices this year, pending final arrangements with Apple and media content companies.

"Jetstar is looking at the iPad as the in-flight entertainment systems for the A320 aircraft in Australia and across Asia Pacific. The program is running from our commercial department with our in-flight services team," Tame said.

"We are targeting roll-out this year as soon as all agreements have been finalised," he added.

The airline currently has 41 Airbus A320-200 aircraft in its fleet and according to its flight schedules, the A320 operates between all of the airline's domestic destinations, including major capital cities as well as Cairns, Hamilton Island, Launceston, Mackay, Newcastle, Rockhampton, Townsville, the Whitsundays, Ballina Byron, the Fraser Coast, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Tame himself had told ZDNet Australia in January that he believes the Apple tablet has the potential replace conventional in-flight entertainment systems.

The low-cost airline flagged a trial of Apple tablets soon after the device's release in June.

According to a statement released by the company at the time, passengers will have the option of renting an iPad for $10 during the flight.