Alaska Airlines Trials Virtual Reality On Some Flights (pcmag.com)

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Alaska Airlines Trials Virtual Reality On Some Flights (pcmag.com)

Posted by BeauHD on Wednesday September 26, 2018 @10:00PM from the new-perks dept.

Alaska Airlines is trailing virtual reality onboard 10 flights between Boston and Seattle and Boston and San Diego. The headsets are provided by French in-flight entertainment company SkyLights and will only be offered to first-class passengers. PCMag.com reports: The trial kicked off on Sunday, Sept. 23 and runs through Thursday, Sept. 27. Forget trying to pay attention to that small seatback monitor as jet engines and crying babies blare in the background. "Wearing the headset is comparable to having a personal movie screen in front of you," the airline said. "When paired with noise-cancelling headphones, it's easy to feel like you're at the movie theater instead of flying." Passengers participating in the trial can choose from a selection of 2D and 3D movies. [...] There's also several "360-degree immersive experiences that let guests explore different worlds by just slowly moving their head around," Alaska Airlines said.

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First class passengers... by Tomahawk · 2018-09-26 22:08 · Score: 5, Funny

"Forget trying to pay attention to that small seatback monitor as jet engines and crying babies blare in the background."
First class passengers don't get to partake in those particular experiences.
Hmmm -- maybe that could be one of the simulations: VR Economy Class.
1. Re:First class passengers... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2018-09-26 22:43 · Score: 2
  
  Hmmm -- maybe that could be one of the simulations: VR Economy Class.
  To complete the effect, they could also install "SensorRound" and "Feel Around" . . . the seats could compressed and squeeze you, and blubber from the virtual fat person next to you could spill over the arm rest!
  It would serve to remind First Class passengers why they are paying for First Class.
  
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2. Re:First class passengers... by Opportunist · 2018-09-26 23:38 · Score: 2
  
  I'm seriously considering traveling as freight next time. I'd have way more room and pay less.
  I mean, if I get stacked like a sardine in a can with no room for my legs or my arms, I can as well call a spade a spade.
  
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3. Re:First class passengers... by Nidi62 · 2018-09-26 23:53 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  I'm seriously considering traveling as freight next time. I'd have way more room and pay less.
  Some of those cans they use for cargo are actually roomier and more comfortable than you would think. If you go as bulk freight just make sure you are put in the pressurized bin and those are prime napping spots. The floor panel right by the door in the front bin of a 737 is even heated, very nice to have once you reach altitude. You learn some good tricks when you work on a ramp.
  
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  The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
4. Re:First class passengers... by Nidi62 · 2018-09-27 00:10 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I can as well call a spade a spade.
  Can we watch while you do that?
  I called a spade a spade once. It hit me in the face and told me it identified as a trowel.
  
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  The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
5. Re:First class passengers... by ytene · 2018-09-27 00:21 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  A couple of weeks ago I read an article about an airline that was considering replacing some of the cargo space on passenger flights with actual bunk beds. The idea was that there would be a spiral staircase down from the seating deck to a bay with a small number of full-sized beds for people who wanted to use them. The frame containing these "bedrooms" would itself be modular, such that the airline could remove them and replace them with regular freight containers when they needed to do so.
  
  The article I saw didn't go in to details of the way that pressurisation would be handled - I may be wrong but I always thought that cargo spaces, even on commercial airlines, were not pressurised.
  
  But there are definitely plans out there to be able to send you as air freight!!!
6. Re:First class passengers... by Nidi62 · 2018-09-27 00:30 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  A couple of weeks ago I read an article about an airline that was considering replacing some of the cargo space on passenger flights with actual bunk beds. The idea was that there would be a spiral staircase down from the seating deck to a bay with a small number of full-sized beds for people who wanted to use them. The frame containing these "bedrooms" would itself be modular, such that the airline could remove them and replace them with regular freight containers when they needed to do so. The article I saw didn't go in to details of the way that pressurisation would be handled - I may be wrong but I always thought that cargo spaces, even on commercial airlines, were not pressurised. But there are definitely plans out there to be able to send you as air freight!!!
  Some cargo bins are pressurized, some aren't. Also, while most widebody aircraft have crew rest areas above the cabin, some have been retrofitted to have crew rest modules below the cabin in the cargo area. I could see some airlines putting bunks down there for passengers, but the ability to access those bunks would definitely be a significant additional charge as airlines get some good revenue from freight and it would cut into that.
  
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  The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
7. Re:First class passengers... by mjwx · 2018-09-27 01:12 · Score: 2
  
  I've noticed that economy class seats have got a lot better in the last few years. Used to be that sleeping was next to impossible, there was just no support for your head and lower back. They are still not great but a hell of a lot better than they used to be.
  For noise foam earplugs can't be beaten for comfort. The only down side is that there is nowhere to store them when you need to take them out temporarily. The pointless magazine/safety leaflet pouch could be a lot more useful.
  Not sure who you've been flying (seriously, I'm interested) but economy seats have gotten worse for me. Singapore Airlines still holds the gold standard for me with 19" wide seats, almost no other airline comes close. However with the ever growing desire to shove more and more people into shrinking cabins, comfort hasn't been one of the things I've seen increase. The 787 Squeezeliner is by far the worst. Not only are they shoving as many seats as 777 into less space, they've also gotten rid of the window recess and window blinds. As a gentleman with 19" shoulders (blade to blade, not including the fleshy bits) I rely on the window recess to sit remotely comfortably.
  
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  Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
8. Re: First class passengers... by mjwx · 2018-09-27 01:34 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Why would the cabins be shrinking? Aircraft don't shrink and they last a long time. New models tend ti be longer.
  Intergenerationally,
  
  Cabin width of a 777 - 587 cm
  Cabin width of a 787 - 549 cm
  
  That's almost an 8% drop in cabin space... but airlines are still shoving in seats 9 abreast (Boeing has even advertised a 10 abrest version of the Squeezeliner). Something has to be smaller, and give the aisles have to be so many CM wide by law, it's the seats.
  
  --
  Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
9. Re:First class passengers... by Ksevio · 2018-09-27 02:25 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Some A346s have lavatories in the cargo level with a staircase running down to it. Wouldn't be a huge extra effort to put some sleeping pods there the same way.
10. Re:First class passengers... by AmiMoJo · 2018-09-27 02:30 · Score: 2
  
  The best I have found are ANA and JAL. Not tried Singapore. I flew with Asiana, they were okay. Nothing beats the Japanese airlines for pretty much anything, except perhaps the selection of English language stuff on the entertainment system.
  Second tier are European carriers. Virgin used to be crap, but stopped doing my routes. BA are okay but the food is really bad, and they are prone to cock-ups. Wet blankets (not properly dried after laundering I guess), delays, that sort of thing.
  Finnair are okay. Cheap, food is edible at least, and Helsinki Airport is one of the better ones. Their seats are actually quite reasonable. Only issue I had was one time when flying to China the aircraft had some woman who wouldn't stop singing religious hymns, and her husband smelt really bad with BO, and the staff said they had tried before and couldn't do much about any of it. Hmm. I got the impression it was a regular problem on that route.
  
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If you didn’t get motion sickness you will n by jellomizer · 2018-09-26 22:15 · Score: 4, Interesting

I myself rarely get motion sickness but the thought of having a VR unit while the plain is bumping, changing altitudes, speeding up or slowing down just makes me sick thinking of it.

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Re:If you didn’t get motion sickness you wil by Oswald+McWeany · 2018-09-26 23:46 · Score: 5, Insightful

I myself rarely get motion sickness but the thought of having a VR unit while the plain is bumping, changing altitudes, speeding up or slowing down just makes me sick thinking of it.
This was my immediate thought and came here to make a similar comment. Some people get travel sickness; many people feel nauseous from VR. Combining the two seem like an absolutely ridiculous idea. The barf bag industry must have petitioned the airline to give VR a try.

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"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Re:Sync the VR content with the flight by Ksevio · 2018-09-27 02:31 · Score: 2

That'd be pretty cool if they put a 180 cam on the nose of the plane that you could view the flight from
Re:Windowless planes next by b0s0z0ku · 2018-09-27 05:14 · Score: 2

Flying and looking down are pretty awesome (assuming flight over land) if you're not a jaded little prick. I always get the window seat even if I have to pay a bit more.