Hasta La Gadget!

You can use cash to buy airplane tickets. But since the iPad’s launch, Apple has had a strict credit card-only policy in place, for fear that customers would buy iPads by the boatload, in order to sell them off at inflated prices in countries where they’re not yet available.

Apple apparentlymade a rare policy change this week, according to the following plea from Diane Campbell, a viewer of the Bay Area ABC affiliate, KGO: “Mr. Jobs, give a sister a break. I’m not going to go sell my iPad.”

Apple responded by reversing its policy, telling the station:

About a month ago, we said we’d like you to use a credit card when you buy your iPad, and that was the best way we could think of to make sure that people only bought two per individual. And then it came to our attention that Diane [Campbell], through your story, was very interested in buying an iPad with cash, and we made a decision today to change that.

Of course, some might point out that the initial shortage of iPads has ended, and the device is set to go on sale internationally next week. Thankfully, we’re not that cynical.