Virtual Reality

Qantas to offer first-class travelers a virtual reality experience

Qantas to offer first-class travelers a virtual reality experience
Qantas will soon be offering first-class passengers a virtual reality experience in midair
Qantas will soon be offering first-class passengers a virtual reality experience in midair
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Qantas will soon be offering first-class passengers a virtual reality experience in midair
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Qantas will soon be offering first-class passengers a virtual reality experience in midair
The Samsung Galaxy VR headsets will offer passengers a range of content
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The Samsung Galaxy VR headsets will offer passengers a range of content
The Samsung Gear VR headsets are paired with the Galaxy Note smartphone
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The Samsung Gear VR headsets are paired with the Galaxy Note smartphone
Content available through the headsets will include blockbuster movies and tours of destinations to which Qantas flies
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Content available through the headsets will include blockbuster movies and tours of destinations to which Qantas flies
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Australian airline Qantas has teamed up with Samsung to give travelers a virtual reality experience both on the ground and in the air. Qantas will be providing the passenger lounges and planes, while Samsung will be providing the VR headsets.

The Samsung Gear VR headsets will be offered to passengers flying from Melbourne to Los Angeles, and from Sydney to Los Angeles. Some will be available in the International First passenger lounges, with others being offered on both the outbound and return flights.

The Gear VR headsets, which are powered by a Galaxy Note 4 that lives inside, and a dedicated Qantas app will contain a range of entertainment options for the lucky passengers to explore. The content available will include blockbuster movies, virtual tours of the destinations to which Qantas flies, and 360-degree panoramic views of Qantas passenger lounges.

Content available through the headsets will include blockbuster movies and tours of destinations to which Qantas flies
Content available through the headsets will include blockbuster movies and tours of destinations to which Qantas flies

The airline claims this will “open up a new world of lounge and inflight entertainment for customers, as well as give Qantas a powerful way to preview destinations and experiences.” Unfortunately, the Gear VR headsets will only be available to first-class passengers, which means those in the cheap seats will have to make do with the perfunctory entertainment options instead.

The trial will run for three months from the middle of March. If, based on customer feedback, it's deemed to be a success, the two companies hope to proceed in making virtual reality a lingering part of the long-haul flying experience.

Source: Qantas

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1 comment
1 comment
Forward Thinker
They should put some sort of camera dome on the underside of the plane's nose and stream the video feed to the headsets. I've never tried this type of VR but I'd assume it does the same thing an IMAX screen does and make you feel like you're flying all by yourself. Takeoff and landing would be especially exciting.