UP F RONT
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
026 SEPTEMBER 2019
1. BA IS SHOWING FUTURE IDEAS AT
THE SAATCHI GALLERY IN LONDON.
EXHIBITS INCLUDE A FULL MOTION,
VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE
WHAT FLYERS
REALLY WANT
British Airways asked flyers across 10 global markets what features they would
like to see in future air travel, with the report yielding some surprising responses
British Airways has commissioned data-led trends agency, Foresight
Factory to survey 13,000 flyers from 10 countries in order to gather
their thoughts on what new features the air travel experience should
offer in the future. The resulting report, titled ‘BA 2119: Flight of the
Future’, was also created with input from sector experts and
futurologists, and offers a picture of what people might expect from
flights in 20, 40, 60 and even 100 years from now.
Some 46% of people said they want a dedicated communal space for
socialising, with this feature being far more popular with those in
emerging markets such as Brazil (47%), India (69%), China (55%) and
South Africa (47%) than with passengers in the UK (30%), Germany (22%)
and Japan (20%), who prefer a more private experience on board.
Big findings from the report were that consumers want far greater
personalisation from their airline experience, which BA says could be
delivered through aircraft seats that use biological scanners to gather
travellers’ physiological and nutritional needs. This data could be used
to suggest food and drink to meet individual requirements, which can
be 3D-printed on board the aircraft (see p76).
Artificial intelligence-powered personalisation would enable
passengers to bring cloud-based work and entertainment profiles
to their seats, while holographic flight attendants would field basic
questions and requests, freeing up cabin crew to offer more valueadded
interactions.
In other suggested ideas, passenger acclimatisation to the
destination, whether pre-travel care or combating jet lag, could be a
thing of the past, with crew able to 3D-print personalised health
supplements on board.
1
Overwhelmingly,
consumers stated that the
future will see the end of
airline ‘classes’, and the
rise of bespoke packages
where consumers pay for
a customisable experience,
based on options for space
and entertainment.
There is also demand
for convenience and
personal autonomy, with
passengers keen on
speeding up their journey
while still on board the
aircraft. For example, 73%
said that they want
inflight technology that
allows them to selfcomplete
immigration and
visa control while they are
still in the air. 63% of consumers would like an inflight concierge to
organise a hotel for them when they land, and a further 56% would like
to book a taxi from the air to pick them up when they arrive.
According to the airline, such ideas could even lead to an integrated
hyperloop-style transit system, which would transport travellers in
modules directly to assigned compartments within the aircraft.
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SPEED MATTERS
The environment is a key
consideration for travellers, with
43% of people prepared to pay more
if a flight was more environmentally
friendly and 45% saying they would
opt for the slowest available flight if
it was the greener option. Although
the emergence of next-generation
supersonic jets will dramatically cut
travel time, the report predicts that
within 50 years we will see a trend
for slow, experiential flights as
consumers seek a leisurely start to
their holidays. These flights could
take the form of ‘Air cruises’, which
would fly slowly over landmarks.
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com