Southwest to offer iPad 2 checkout for in-flight entertainment option

The Holiday season is upon us. Halloween is today, and soon Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve will have come and gone. While holidays mean many different things to a lot of people, one thing seems to be constant whether you are from San Diego, Cincinnati, or Boston. That constant is travel. Holiday’s always seem to have us on the move, whether it’s traveling across the country to visit relatives, or heading out of the country to escape the cold and enjoy a peaceful holiday season, holiday travel is when the industry is at an all time high. Just ask any airline or individual who has flown for the holidays. Packed terminals, long security lines, and overbooked flights are all too common this time of year, and relaxing seems nearly impossible. Southwest Airlines is trying to do something about the lack of relaxation going around, and has just introduced a program with Apple and Dish Network to hopefully restore a little bit of peace during this hectic traveling season.

Just in time for the holiday season, Southwest Airlines has introduced a program in which travelers can check out an iPad 2 to use as in-flight entertainment. Flyers can pick up the iPad 2 at their departing gate, allowing them to watch Dish’s “Watch TV on the Fly,” which includes a library of both on-demand and life content while in the air. Most impressive is that this program is completely free to travelers. For now, the first and only offerings of the program will be on Wi-Fi enabled flights between Oakland, Denver, and Chicago-Midway. We are assuming the program will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis, so if you are traveling between these destinations this holiday season, be sure to snag one before they are all checked out!