Air Canada becomes 1st Canadian airline to adopt VR technology

MONTREAL — Travel agents can experience for themselves what it’s like to fly on **********’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner through virtual reality technology, an immersive new tool that has led to an increase in bookings.

With this new technology – a first for a Canadian ******* – users can explore all three cabins of service offered onboard the aircraft, plus enjoy a virtual International Business Class meal complete with wine in an Executive Pod.

“********** is always developing new ways to enhance the customer experience and to engage partners such as the travel agent community, which plays a key role in helping our customers select the travel options best suited to them. Virtual reality enables us to familiarize thousands of travel agents and potential customers with **********’s offerings through the magic of an interactive, virtual tour,” said Duncan Bureau, Vice President, Global Sales at **********. “We have already seen an increase in bookings since we began using this technology.”

With the headset on, and controls in hand, the journey begins with an overview of **********’s global route network followed by an exploration of the new ********** livery. On the trip users can experience all three cabins: Economy, Premium Economy or International Business. Amenity kits, an ********** enRoute magazine, tray tables, and in-flight entertainment are just some of the elements that can be touched, opened and moved, guided by an audio-based flight attendant. Interactive experiences such as dinner service add an extra element of fun.

To complement the Virtual Reality Experience, ********** has produced 360 degree videos of the 787 cabin that can be accessed on a mobile device or desktop at https://www.*********.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/onboard/cabin-features.html.

**********’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner virtual reality experience will be available at the following events:

• ********** Pop-Up Poutinerie, Shoreditch, London (UK), until ******** 11, 2017.
• True Patriot Love Gala, Toronto, ******** 9, 2017;
• BAZAR ED, Santiago, Chile. ******** 22 to 26, 2017;
• WX Top 100 Leadership Summit, Toronto, ******** 23, 2017;
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Gala, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, ******** 30, 2017.