Metaverse and Flights: A New World has Begun
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The metaverse is an imaginary world brought to life, a digital universe integrating the internet, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), and is already impacting society in multiple industries, not to mention the aviation sector. With many airlines, along with the overall travel industry, engaging with recovery from the pandemic, and changing expectations of customer experience, the metaverse brings potential to rethink what it means to fly in the future. This article finds its direction in exploring the usage of the metaverse in the aviation industry while considering the possibilities that could disrupt flying in the future.
The Concept of the Metaverse in Aviation
At its most basic definition, the metaverse is an online fully immersive digital environment where users can interact with each other and the environment via VR, AR, and AI technologies. It creates a space where users can transcend the physical space and create new variances for users to work, play, socialize, travel, and more. One area of focus in aviation, and the topic on which will receive some attention will be the ways the metaverse can be used to enhance the customer experience, improve operational efficiency, or provide new marketing experiences and options.
Enhancing Pre-Flight Experiences
One of the more immediate ways to provide an enhanced customer experience through the metaverse, will be improving pre-flight experience. In a purely speculative context, what if a customer can tour the aircraft prior to boarding, and or check out their seat options when making a seat selection, even if it's all done before you arrive at the airport? Airlines could easily create a virtual pre-flight product of the aircraft for people to see prior to boarding allowing a look at their seat, and or at least, allowing for comparisons to first class or business class. This improvement in experience and transparency to customers would be huge for experience (the buck) and improve the booking experience at least somewhat.
All in all, at minimum it would provide some relevant entertainment value if nothing else. More good is possible, as an added value actually navigating through the terminal ahead of time within a metaverse, especially at an airport that the traveler is unaccustomed. Travelers could experience airport simulation whether at their destination airport or the airport they are traveling out of. Travelers could have a simulation guide show them the basic route from check in to the gate, duty free shop location, as well as whether or not it is possible to access a lounge.
Virtual Reality In-Flight Experiences
Another aspect of flying where the metaverse may play a revolutionary role is within the flight itself. Already, airlines are exploring the idea of combining VR with flights to help with passenger entertainment for long-haul flights. Passengers could enjoy flights by wearing VR headsets instead of passively watching movies on tiny screens. Virtual reality could transport them to other places, such as scenic landscapes, haste to iconic landmarks, or even attend live concerts in VR as they sat in their seat on the plane.
Eventually, airlines may deliver immersive environments to passengers with a focus on whom each passenger is. For instance, nature enthusiasts could enjoy the sights and sounds of being in a quiet forest, while adventure seekers hike their way up the side of Mount Everest. In addition to entertaining passengers, VR could offer airline differentiation from their competitors.
Additionally, virtual meetings could take place. Business travelers could engage in work meetings in the metaverse as the flight progressed, potentially conducting presentations or attending conferences in virtual boardrooms. Downtime could become productive time on business flights.
Training and Simulation for Airline Staff
In addition to enhancing the experience of travelers, the metaverse can address training and operational efficiency concerns as well. Staff who work in the airlines industry, such as pilots, cabin crew, and ground support, invest many hours in training and preparation to ensure safety and efficiency. The metaverse could be a great opportunity to increase reality, cost, and interactivity of training.
Pilots practice using flight simulators, but the metaverse could serve as a better platform. Pilots would be able to practice in a variety of aircraft; in different weather conditions; and through various emergency scenarios, without heavy simulator devices. Cabin crew could engage in training in virtual and realistic cadets with the training replicating proper simulators. Cabin crew practice customer service skills, medical procedures, and emergency conduct in a simulation, but the metaverse could facilitate those same practices in a safe environment that is near to reality.
Ground support could also serve from ground simulation training in the metaverse (e.g. baggage handlers, maintenance crew, etc.) They could virtually simulate the process of loading or unloading cargo from an aircraft; they could simulate time-sensitive interactions to prepare for airport "flow," and engage in various ground-based situational. This could be valuable to keep costs low and efficient staff training engaged.
Streamlining Operations with Digital Twins
The concept of the metaverse anticipates the notion of "digital twins" which are digital representations of physical objects or systems. In aviation, airlines may consider developing digital twins of their aircraft and other important parts to allow engineers and technicians the ability to view planes in real-life. These virtual objects could also identify wear and tear, predict possible mechanical problems, or warn of required maintenance; and thus, more efficiently and safely operate their business.
As an example, sensors on airplane parts can relay real-time information to the digital twins in the metaverse. When an anomaly presents itself, engineers can assess the situation from afar relating to the digital twin, assess solutions pertaining to maintenance, prior to the plane landing. Overall, predictive maintenance may decrease potential downtime of the aircraft, improve scheduling, and increase safety for all flights.
Marketing and Branding in the Metaverse
Airlines are also working with the metaverse as a space for brands to connect and market products and services to the consumer. Within the virtual world/token economy of interest, companies are creating diverse virtual spaces to engage with customers in innovative ways. For example, airlines could sponsor a concert in a virtual space or create virtual aircraft with similar experiences that can interact with the brand’s wayfinding system.
Airlines can also create new revenue generation streams by collaborating with metaverse ad companies. For example, digital lounges could bring revenue in for airlines or allow users to explore unique travel destinations and merchandise related to their loyalty program, etc.
Environmental and Sustainability Aspects
A major issue confronting the aviation industry is diminishing its carbon footprint. Utilizing the metaverse may foster more sustainable travel through responsive virtual tourism experiences. In lieu of flying to each destination, some travelers may elect for virtual excursions. This may reduce the number of short-haul flights, thereby reducing overall emissions as well. VR and AR cannot replace travel experiences fully, yet this is another popular consideration for travelers to new places amid reducing their footprint.
The Future of Metaverse and Aviation
The metaverse and its applications for aviation are in their embryonic stages, but the opportunities are enormous. Like any emergent technology, eventually people will adopt VR and AR. As this occurs, airlines will explore more alternative ways to incorporate the metaverse into their package, whether it is innovating in-flight entertainment or developing new training protocols. The metaverse could potentially disrupt the interactions associated with travel and transform numerous components of aviation.
The challenges are determinate, such as the cost of technology and benefits, data privacy around VR and AR, and seamless integration with existing programs. However, the benefits are apparent. The uptake to the metaverse presents airlines with a multitude of merits associated with amplified passenger experience, operational efficiencies, and fostering of future disruptive digital innovations in a rapidly evolving digitally experienced industry.
Conclusion
Where air travel combines with the intersections of the metaverse and flights, we see exciting prospects and possibilities for the future of both travel and aviation. The current nature of the metaverse can impact and engender innovations in the pre-flight experience and proposal during the flight, but we foresee crew training, engagements, and operational efficiencies improving flying experiences. New possibilities utilizing the metaverse as a new digital frontier leads to more personalized, interactive way to engage flying.