Virgin Atlantic staff are being equipped with Google Glass and Sony Smartwatches to help keep passengers up-to-date with information and aid with translation issues.
Concierge staff in the airline’s Upper Class Wing at London’s Heathrow Airport will be using wearable technology to deliver a high tech and personalised customer service.
The technology is being introduced as Virgin Atlantic publishes the results of a study of 10,000 airline passengers from across the world on the future of air travel.
The results show that as the number of people travelling by plane has sky-rocketed in recent decades, the ‘experience has lessened’.
Virgin Atlantic, in collaboration with air transport IT specialist SITA, is the first in the industry to test how the latest wearable technology, including Google Glass, can best be used to enhance customers’ travel experiences and improve efficiency.
When Upper Class passengers step out of their chauffeured limousine at Heathrow’s T3, Virgin Airlines says they will be greeted by name, and its staff wearing the technology will start the check-in process.
At the same time, staff will be able to update passengers on their latest flight information, weather and local events at their destination and translate any foreign language information.
In future, the technology could also tell Virgin Atlantic staff their passengers’ dietary and refreshment preferences.
During the six-week pilot, the benefits to consumers and the business will be evaluated ahead of a potential wider roll-out in the future.
Airline staff are equipped with either Google Glass or a Sony SmartWatch 2, which is integrated to both a purpose-built dispatch app built by SITA and the Virgin Atlantic passenger service system.
The dispatch app manages all task allocation and concierge availability. It pushes individual passenger information directly to the assigned concierge’s smart glasses or watch just as the passenger arrives at the Upper Class Wing.
Dave Bulman, Director of IT, Virgin Atlantic, said: “While it’s fantastic that more people can now fly than ever before, the fact that air travel has become so accessible has led to some of the sheen being lost for many passengers. Our wearable technology pilot with SITA makes us the first in the industry to test how Google Glass and other wearable technology can improve the customer experience. We are upholding Virgin Atlantic’s long tradition of shaking things up and putting innovation at the heart of the flying experience.”
Jim Peters, Chief Technology Officer, SITA said: “2014 is shaping up to be the breakout year for wearable technology, and Virgin Atlantic is the first to bring its vision to reality. At SITA Lab, we’ve taken the lead in testing and trialing this new technology for the air transport industry, and it’s been fantastic to work with Virgin Atlantic to launch the industry’s first wearable technology application.”
Virgin Atlantic is also testing iBeacon with its Upper Class passengers at Heathrow, a new low-powered Bluetooth transmitter that can notify nearby iOS Apple devices of nearby services, discounts and updates on their flight boarding schedules.
In addition, Virgin Atlantic’s new mobile site means passengers will be able to book flights, check in online and check their flight status on the move, while also having access to the vast range of information on the main website, including destination and airport guides as well as details of baggage allowances.