The way virtual reality will affect our everyday lives has yet to be determined. Outside of gaming and entertainment, very few options have been commercialized. It appears a new survey suggests VR may change the pre-flight wait at airports and make them more engaging. A different type of entertainment, but one that can lift VR to a whole new level.
Solving Pre-flight Boredom
Anyone who has ever boarded an airplane will be all too aware of how tedious these procedures are. One needs to check in hours ahead of the flight, leaving passengers with lots of time to kill. Entertainment-wise, pre-flight waiting areas leave a lot to be desired in virtually all countries. Introducing virtual reality solutions can address those problems, according to a new survey by YouGov-Spafax.
More specifically, the survey indicates the pre-flight experience needs to be revamped entirely. Different demographics have unique preferences in this regard. For younger travelers, anything to keep them immersed in a virtual world will be of great value. Being able to walk around in VR while effectively sitting down in such a waiting area can help alleviate stress and anxiety prior to the flight.
Spafax head of Brand Alliances Charles Vine adds:
“The findings of this survey support our proprietary research which highlights that airport lounges and the airport experience as a whole are going through a radical change. Customers expect an experience before they even get on the plane – and brands can take advantage of that moment where the customer is in repose and attentive or let it pass. We predict an increasing appetite for the clever use of lounge space by brands. Artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and VR are vehicles through which to enhance the traveling experience. And that is precisely why we help airlines collaborate with external brands to help make that happen.”
Turning lounges into retail and marketing spaces will be a major challenge to overcome. Passengers want to go about their business with as little friction as possible. Untethered VR experiences will play a key role in this regard, which paves the way for broader mobile VR adoption. This can apply to many different experiences, ranging from food or drink tasting to keeping children entertained, and so forth. A lot of opportunities are waiting to be explored in this regard.
If you liked this article make sure to follow us on twitter @thevrsoldier and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest VR trends and news.
