Meta recently made headlines with its collaboration with the German airline Lufthansa, bringing Quest 3 headsets to their passengers. Following this successful initiative, the company is now eager to broaden its in-flight XR entertainment services to additional airlines.
Last year, Meta introduced its much-anticipated Travel Mode, a feature that allows users with a Quest 2 and above to stabilize their VR experience, ensuring smooth usage even on moving planes. This innovative solution aimed to address long-standing challenges faced by VR users in various travel settings.
This development paved the way for Meta’s trial program launched last June. Passengers in the Lufthansa Allegris Business Class Suite were given access to a Quest 3 headset on selected flights. During their journey, they could enjoy an array of virtual activities, such as watching films and TV shows on virtual screens, experiencing spatial and 360-degree videos, engaging in guided meditations, and playing games like Connect Four and chess.
Meta has marked the Lufthansa program as a significant triumph, engaging almost 4,000 travelers with this novel in-flight experience. Buoyed by its success, the company plans to extend this offer to other airlines shortly. Sarah Malkin, Meta’s Director of Entertainment Content at Reality Labs, stated, “This initiative highlights a crucial advancement in our journey with Travel Mode and immersive services. Our current goal is to broaden this service to more airlines and refine our offerings.”
Though Meta hasn’t disclosed which airlines are on their radar next, it’s likely this service will remain exclusive to Business and First-Class passengers, who already enjoy amenities like lay-flat seats, noise-canceling headphones, premium dining options, and more.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first instance of airlines experimenting with XR headsets as exclusive perks. Back in 2015, Qantas from Australia experimented with offering the Samsung Gear VR to their first-class passengers as part of their in-flight entertainment. Similar initiatives were also tried by other airlines such as Air France, Iberia, British Airways, and Singapore Airlines, although these programs were eventually phased out.
In summary, Meta’s efforts have sparked renewed interest in enhancing the air travel experience with cutting-edge VR technology, promising a new way for passengers to enjoy their time in the skies.
