Six major airlines are to fit aircraft passenger seats with iPod docks, Apple announced today. US carriers Continental, Delta and United, along with Air France, Emirates and KLM, will begin adding iPod connectors during the middle of next year.

Of course, what's not yet clear is which class of traveller will get iPod connectivity, but we suspect it'll be those whose seats command higher ticket prices to start off with. They'll not only be able to keep their music players powered up, but play iPod-stored video content on seat-back screens.

Apple's partner on the project is coming from Panasonic Avionics, a Matsushita subsidiary that specialises in in-flight entertainment and communications systems - it's working with Qantas to trial in-cabin mobile phone usage, for example. ®