Delta Air Lines launches 'PCs for workers' scheme

US airline, Delta Air Lines, is offering its 75,000 employees the chance to own a PC with Internet access for just $12 per month, but one leading analyst believes the timing could be all wrong.

The announcement follows a similar move last week by Ford Motors, the difference being that once employees have paid the monthly fee for three years, totalling to $432, they receive full possession of the machine.

Rob Hailstone, research director at Bloor Research, was unsure about the timing of the announcements, commenting that a Web-access device is all that is needed and the market will be swamped with these over the next 12 months. He said: "IDC has predicted that within two years these other devices will be outselling the PC. What will the computer on offer be worth three years from now?"

Leo Mullin, chairman, president and CEO of Delta Air Lines, called the initiative the "wired workforce" and said the company's workforce will start receiving the computers from July at the rate of 5,000 to 10,000 per month.

The scheme will be co-ordinated by PeoplePC, the company overseeing the Ford deal. Delta Air Lines is yet to decide who will supply the PCs, but revealed the shortlist is down to Compaq, HP, IBM and Toshiba.

Internet access will be supplied by AT&T, with employees also linked to DeltaNet, the company's intranet.

Employees who already own a PC will receive free Web access instead.