Gulf Air becomes the latest airline to adopt iPad electronic flight bags

Spotted by AppleInsider reader Hussain, the carrier’s plan to roll out its iPad EFB program was revealed in a meeting on Sunday that covered Gulf Air’s Information and Communication Technology initiatives. In all, 355 iPads will be purchased and distributed throughout the airline’s fleet. “We are proud of our existing strategic relationship with VIVA Bahrain and pleased to extend this partnership to include the provision of iPad devices as part of Gulf Air’s Electronic Flight Bag project,” said Gulf Air Acting CEO Maher Salman Al Musallam. “This is an essential component of our ongoing commitment to all new technology that provides integrated solutions for managing information in the air and on the ground.” While not as massive a rollout as major airlines like American, which now has more than 8,000 iPads issued as EFBs throughout its fleet, the Gulf Air buy reinforces the impact Apple’s tablet is having on a wide variety of industries. For air travel, the device replaces heavy kitbags traditionally carried by pilots and crew, saving weight and thus fuel.