When traveling by plane, there is very little to occupy oneself with. Although most airline carriers provide in-flight entertainment, the technology often feels outdated. Iberia Airlines, Spain’s national carrier, wants to change that aspect altogether. As of right now, the company experiments with in-flight entertainment through VR headsets.
Experiencing VR in Mid-Air
One has to commend Iberia Airlines for trying to think outside the box. Passengers who want to experience in-flight entertainment are often left wanting. Now is a good time as any to experiment with some technological solutions. While virtual reality might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it can make a flight vastly more enjoyable.
Through its latest trial, Iberia Airlines offers VR-based in-flight entertainment. It is part of a collaboration with European startup Inflight VR. The startup aims to revamp in-flight entertainment through VR headsets. For now, the technology is being experimented with on two daily routes between Madrid and New York City and one route between Madrid and Tel Aviv. These long-distance flights tend to benefit more from bringing immersive entertainment to passengers.
As one would expect, passengers can rent these VR headsets. The unit is a Pico model developed by inflight themselves. For a fee of 6 euro, passengers can enjoy VR entertainment during their entire flight. There is a growing selection of content available at this time. Ranging from games to films and documentaries to city travelogues, plenty of options are available. The current entertainment systems will not be made accessible in VR just yet.
It is expected this first stage of the trial will last up to six months. Afterward, the final decision will be made to continue or abandon this project. It is possible the pricing of this form of in-flight entertainment will be modified accordingly. This early approach by Iberia Airlines is considered risky, but it can also pay off. While they are not the first company to do this, they are trendsetters in Europe.
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