Next time you fly American, don't be surprised if your cabin crew uses a Samsung Galaxy Note to take your instructions. Why? Because the company has just announced that it is dishing out around17,000 Notes to flight attendants on board its aircrafts.

"Flight attendants will use the Galaxy Note to record customer meal and beverage preferences, access customer information and identify high-value customers or customers requiring special assistance," explains Samsung to Pocket-lint on the news. "Essentially, American Airlines has chosen the Galaxy Note to modernise their inflight services and better serve their passengers," 

The idea is that eventually the device will be used to take your order, or show the cabin crew you've just come from a long connecting flight. 

“This is a huge step towards a new, modern American Airlines, as our tablet programme is the first of its kind in the airline industry, where our flight attendants will have the most up-to-date customer information in the palms of their hands, allowing them to better serve our customers from boarding to deplaning,” said Lauri Curtis, American’s vice-president, flight service. “By giving a device to all of our active flight attendants we are better enabling our people to deliver an exceptional customer experience.”

American began piloting the programme this spring.  Beginning later this year through to mid-2013, American will roll out the selected devices to all of its approximately 17,000 flight attendants.

The idea isn't new though: BA has previously announced that its cabin crew would be using the Apple iPad for notes and schedules on planes.