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United Airlines Spending $120 Million on Upgrading New Jersey Airport Terminal with iPads

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport is set to receive a $120 million upgrade to United Airline's main terminal with some of the funds going towards iPads, Bloomberg reports. The airline is planning to offer Apple iPads to customers at certain locations around the terminal, namely restaurants and cafes. Similar upgrades have been utilized by other airlines in high-density airports like LaGuardia in New York.
"From our perspective what we're looking for, and what we look for in all of our hubs, is something that's going to be a benefit for our customers -- something that's going to make the time they spend in the airport more productive, more enjoyable, comfortable," Mary Clark, a spokeswoman for the airline, said in a telephone interview.
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As more and more airlines strip away the privileges of air travel to save money, focus is shifting towards ground amenities. By 2015, United plans to have every restaurant and gate seat in Terminal C outfitted with an iPad. The tablets will allow customers to check flight times and updates, browse the internet, buy food, and make retail purchases with a fifteen minute delivery guarantee.

i2i1QliLvgiM-800x533.jpg
Over the course of the next eighteen months, the Newark tunnel upgrade will add 55 dining venues, 10,000 power outlets, and 6,000 iPads to improve the customer experience in United terminals.
"It's really become an expectation in society today to have these amenities," said Alan Bender, professor of aeronautics, airline management and economics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "U.S. carriers are catching up to where they should be for their passengers, especially for their business passengers, and most especially for their international business passengers."
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In 2012, Newark's Airport was rated the fifth worst in the United States according to a Travel & Leisure survey that ranked the country's twenty-two biggest airports on problems such as delays, concessions, and amenities. Plans are already in motion to change that statistic, as The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plan to spend $8 billion on upgrades to LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark airports over the next decade.

Article Link: United Airlines Spending $120 Million on Upgrading New Jersey Airport Terminal with iPads
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/07/united-airlines-ipad-upgrade/
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nikicampos

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2011
818
330
Hahahaha what a bad title, it seemed that the whole $120 Million was going to the purchase of iPads, although, that would be could, a terminal completely filled with iPads.
 
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Born Again

Suspended
May 12, 2011
4,073
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Guys I can't say it enough

If you travel often for home and work get yourself a amex platinum card

You have lounge access among other amenities.

D
 
O

ofcrpls

macrumors newbie
May 7, 2012
11
1
Minneapolis MSP - Delta Terminal

They did something like this at MSP, Delta Terminal G and I loved ordering food and paying for it right at my table without waiting for the waiter.
 
ThunderSkunk

ThunderSkunk

macrumors 68040
Dec 31, 2007
3,814
4,036
Milwaukee Area
hah, what would $120,000,000 buy; about 300,000 ipads less volume discount & taxes & logistics & installation...

love the priorities of united statesians
 
D

DaveTheRave

macrumors 6502a
May 22, 2003
782
369
Cue the "I'm going stop flying with X airlines" because they don't have iPads like United…" comments.

These things will be mobbed because I think Newark still doesn't have free wifi in the terminals. You have to pay Boingo.
 
69Mustang

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
7,895
15,043
In between a rock and a hard place
nikicampos said:
Hahahaha what a bad title, it seemed that the whole $120 Million was going to the purchase of iPads, although, that would be could, a terminal completely filled with iPads.
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. Well to be fair, the title could be true if the 6000 iPads were $20,000 each. :D Hey! iPad Pro confirmed! You heard it here first.

Seriously MR, is some intern from Yahoo writing headlines now?
 
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braintumor

macrumors regular
Mar 23, 2010
226
216
Put free wireless internet in the terminal and make an airport or united newark app that folks can install and use all the amenities on their own device...
It would be cheaper in the long-term anyway and already a lot of airports offer free wifi.
 
B

Born Again

Suspended
May 12, 2011
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Isn't it funny how little the iPad has changed over the years?

Hoping ios9 will bring some much needed functionality

Stylus
Front facing speakers !!!
Gps and standard lol
 
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bp1000

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2011
1,476
185
$120m to be bombarded with advertisements and other peoples fecal matter

Can't wait
 
X

xizdun

macrumors 6502
Nov 13, 2011
272
478
Everybody who needs an iPad owns their own iPad, so why the need for public, immovable iPads fixed into the furniture? Dumb idea and a waste of money. Unless, of course, they contain special software to, for instance, place an order at the restaurant.
 
reel2reel

reel2reel

macrumors 6502a
Jul 24, 2009
627
46
The ones at Laguardia (at least when I was there) were gross (all sorts of bodily fluids smeared across the screen).

I'd rather bring my own, thanks.
 
OriginalClone

OriginalClone

macrumors 6502
Jul 14, 2012
422
727
This is great news as I only fly united and out of EWR. I have my own iPad, but the added power outlets and dining options will be welcomed.
 
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
1,393
You just wait.... Microsoft is going to call them and offer them free Surface Pro tablets to use instead just as long as they make sure to refer to them as "Microsoft Surface Pro's" and not "iPad-like Devices". Bonus Office 365 subscriptions if the Surface Pro is not used as an iPad stand like the CNN guys did.
 
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Babbles

macrumors newbie
Apr 10, 2014
15
0
U.S.A
It's weird that an airport would do this as I think the majority of fliers have their own tablets/computers.

If you're a frequent flyer, it's pretty much guaranteed that you have a tablet or access to the airports lounge area. If you don't, then you're probably too poor to be flying anyways... just sayin'.

It's really all about the power outlets.
 
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