Virgin airport staff to wear Google Glasses
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Virgin Atlantic’s airport staff will be equipped with new wearable technology, including the Google Glass and Sony SmartWatch systems.
In partnership with aviation IT developer SITA, the airline will equip staff working in its ‘Upper Class Wing’ at London Heathrow Airport with the new technology.
Virgin Atlantic staff wearing Google Glasses and Sony SmartWatches will able to start the check-in process as soon as guests arrive, as well as updating passengers on their latest flight status and destination information, such as weather forecasts. In future, the technology will be expanded to inform staff of passengers’ dietary requirements and other personal information.
The technology will be trialled during a six-week period, with the potential for a wider roll-out in the future.
“While it’s fantastic that more people can now fly than ever before, the fact that air travel has become so accessible has led to some of the sheen being lost for many passengers. Our wearable technology pilot with SITA makes us the first in the industry to test how Google Glass and other wearable technology can improve the customer experience,” said Dave Bulman, Virgin Atlantic’s director of IT.
“We are upholding Virgin Atlantic’s long tradition of shaking things up and putting innovation at the heart of the flying experience,” he added.
The new solution Google Glass and Sony SmartWatch technology will be integrated with a purpose-built app built by SITA, and the Virgin Atlantic passenger system. This will push individual passenger information directly to the assigned staff member’s glasses of watch as the passenger arrives.
Jim Peters, SITA’s chief technology officer, SITA said; “2014 is shaping up to be the breakout year for wearable technology, and Virgin Atlantic is the first to bring its vision to reality. At SITA Lab, we’ve taken the lead in testing and trialling this new technology for the air transport industry, and it’s been fantastic to work with Virgin Atlantic to launch the industry’s first wearable technology application.”
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