For most of us, flying first-class is a once-in-a-lifetime treat, but thanks to the magic of virtual reality, Virgin Atlantic is now giving a taste of that experience to anyone who wants it.
Ida, or ‘Immersive Digital Adventure’, is a new virtual reality experience designed to show off the perks of travelling first class with the airline, covering the entire journey from airport terminal to the plane’s lounge.
Although primarily a sales and marketing tool, Virgin Atlantic is teaming up with Microsoft to analyse biometric data from people viewing the experience to see what really excites their potential customers the most.
This is complemented by smells linked to the location, such as fresh orange juice waking you up after a long overnight journey, or massage oils when distressing before a flight.
But in order to see what parts of the journey will really interest potential customers, anyone using Ida is also equipped with a Microsoft Band, the company’s wearable device, which transmits data on heartrate over the course of the experience.
The biometric feedback can then be quickly analysed from any Windows device, which can also be transported easily to show off to all numbers of potential customers. And thanks to the universal app design features included in Windows 10, the Ida app can be used by the Virgin Atlantic sales team across their smartphones, tablets or laptop devices, all providing the same high-quality experience.
“It is what we’ve always sought to do – make flying fun, to make it an experience,” he added. “Finding an opportunity to really bring that to life and help people understand what it really feels like to fly with us is great, because that’s our differentiator…a more immersive experience is a great way to do that.”
Working with Microsoft to deploy Ida has helped Virgin Atlantic continue its innovation strategy, Arnold noted, giving the company a scalable and adaptable app that allows easy use across the full range of mobile and PC devices.
“Microsoft helped us look at opportunities through technology that really bring the experience to life,” he said.
“It’s about us understanding our business challenges and customer needs and then, through partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, finding technology solutions and the opportunity to really satisfy them.”
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