 Alaska Airlines continues pioneering new technologies today . In 2011 Alaska Airlines partnered with Boeing and Fujitsu to be the first to use a new technology called Component Management Optimization , which will streamline maintenance checks . It will do this by allowing mechanics to point a handheld device at little RFID tags attached to certain parts of the aircraft , which will display information about when parts were last replaced . This will allow mechanics to perform inspections quicker than conventional methods . The program is scheduled to launch in 2012 . Also in mid @-@ 2011 , the airline issued iPads to its pilots to replace 25 pounds of paper flight manuals that pilots are currently required to carry on flights . Alaska Airlines is the first major airline to use iPads on flights ; all pilots had iPads by the middle of June 2011 . This was the first part of the airline 's initiative to do away with the flight bag ; the airline is also considering using iPads for displaying aeronautical charts . 
