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SkyTeam offering VR sets in DXB lounge SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, teamed up with hightech start-up SkyLights for a two-month period to offer passengers multimedia content on immersive Bravo headsets so they can enjoy the latest cinematic VR technology before they fly at the alliance lounge at Dubai International Airport. Bravo headsets are lightweight and offer up to six hours battery life. Passengers flying on one of the SkyTeam airlines serving Dubai can request a complimentary Bravo headset and select from entertainment options that include 2D, 3D and carefully curated 180°/360° content; early window blockbuster films; series and documentaries; and a wide-angle cinema screen experience. “Our Frequent Flyers are increasingly tech-savvy and because they spend so many hours in the air, we’re making sure their time on the ground is worthwhile by investing in technology to enhance the experience we offer in our lounges,” said
Mauro Oretti, SkyTeam’s vice president, Sales and Marketing. “Our partnership with SkyLights gives them a chance to relax and immerse themselves in a private IMAX-style movie theater from the comfort of their airport lounge seat.” SkyTeam’s Dubai lounge is available to Elite Plus, First and Business Class passengers of all member airlines serving the airport: Aeroflot, Air France, China Eastern, China Southern, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Saudia and Tarom. “For many guests, it will be the first time they have experienced this remarkable new type of entertainment, making it a great opportunity to create a memorable moment with them,” said David Dicko, SkyLights CEO. “Teaming up with SkyTeam on this project is a significant step towards our mission of transforming the passenger journey both in flight and on the ground.”
SkyLights, a French company, makes the Bravo headsets
Seatback IFE will persevere: Valour Consultancy Many airlines seem intent on making the transition to wireless IFE, according to recent research from Valour Consultancy, with more than 15,000 aircraft expected to be fit with wireless IFE systems by 2026. Report author Craig Foster noted that 81% of wireless IFE systems were installed alongside connectivity in 2017, adding that the industry can “expect this proportion to increase as IFC technology improves and the benefits of an integrated IFEC approach (greater personalization, tailored content, operational efficiencies, etc.) become more obvious.” However, Foster is quick to dispel the myth that seatback screens are headed for extinction. “Nearly every single wide-body aircraft is delivered with embedded IFE and this is unlikely to change for some time yet,” he commented in a December 12 press release. “Additionally, passengers have come to expect 6 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
that they will be able to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters on longer journeys, but this early-window content still cannot be streamed to passengers’ devices.” Valour Consultancy estimates that embedded IFE systems can be expected to grow to 8,600 by 2026, up from 6,500 in 2016. Overhead screens are on the decline, the report noted, which is in part due to the introduction of virtual reality headsets, seen as the next IFE realm to explore. “Airlines are always looking at new ways to innovate and stay one step ahead of the competition,” Foster noted. “This, coupled with the fact that some passengers want to cut themselves off from the cabin environment and forget the unpleasantness associated with air travel, has resulted in interest in more immersive IFE platforms.”