British Airways - Try Before You Fly

British Airways - Try Before You Fly

A lot of travel brands have recently been experimenting with virtual reality (VR) headsets for promotional purposes. However, beyond these marketing stunts companies are also looking to learn how this new technology can be used to improve the experience (e.g, Qantas’ trial to use VR headsets as IFE in First Class) and operations (airlines such as EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic).

On a similar note British Airways recently stated that “Virtual reality technology is developing fast and will be a game changer for the travel sector, as it is taking researching a business trip or holiday to the next level.”

Earlier this year, BA used Oculus Rift VR headsets to market the airline’s destinations in the US. Passersby in the city centres of Milan, Frankfurt and Paris were invited to wear a VR headset and experience riding a bucking bronco in Texas, rollerskating down a Californian boardwalk or ice skating in New York’s Bryant Park. Video here .

BA’s three virtual reality experiences have been created using footage filmed on location that was shot with six Go-Pro cameras and a specially-designed camera rig, and ‘stitched’ together to create a 360-degree world.

BA said the VR experiences are “part of an investigation designed to trial how technology could be used by the next generation of travellers. Today’s travellers are checking out their destinations on TripAdvisor, street view and maps and this is the next step to let the customer actually experience destinations in the virtual world. It is the ultimate try before you fly.”