Many people bemoan the experience of traveling on coach when they fly but the situation may be changing. Some things that makes flying better for many people are the aircraft display systems or the inflight entertainment systems that allow passengers to watch movies and television shows. Wiredandnbsp;has reported on some of the changes that are underway to make flying more enjoyable in coach.
They are starting to add mood lighting. Airlines are looking to make it easier for passengers to fall asleep while onboard. Virgin Atlantic started the trend but now both Boeing and Airbus have warmed to the idea. First, they are using LED lighting to create a softer look and make it easier for people to deal with the problems associated with jet lag. Boeing is taking it a step further with aircraft displays that will project images of stars and the destination on the ceiling of the airplane. This is something Icelandair has been doing since 2015. They show the Northern Lights.
Airlines are going to start offering real WiFi. This service is expected to become as good as what you would have on the ground. People should be able to even use the service to make calls with their phones. It is expected that the speeds should reach 100 Mbps on some planes. It is also expected that the Department of Transportation is going to change the rules on using cell phones on planes.
Soon you may be able to experience virtual reality. This will blow away the current aircraft display systems that are on planes now. One airline has started renting the headsets for $16. SkyLights has started offering this system. Finally, sitting in the middle seat may not be as bad. Currently, the only option offered with the headsets is 3D movies but it is rumored that virtual reality games could come soon. This will make the IFE systems a lot more fun. This also may make people be able to forget they are on a plane at all.
They may be adding seat warmers and coolers. It is hard to get to the right temperature on a flight. It can be really cold or really hot but never really comfortable. Passengers are going to get the chance to change all of that. They will soon be able to change their seat to the temperature that makes them comfortable. The technology is only becoming available now to private aircraft but is expected to move to first and business class seating. This positive development is between three and five years away.
They are working on a new class. PriestmanGoode is working on a new interior of a plane that is modular and can be configured for each flight. This means passengers will be able to get more choice in terms of their seating and their surroundings.
Airlines are going to start giving their passengers more options. For years, the options were coach, business and first class. Now some offer premium economy and then there is basic economy. United Airlines is taking this a little further and has started a program where people who fly with them can opt out of bringing a bag onto the plane, people can give up their right to pick their seat and even are offered the option of paying less to take a flight and not get frequent flyer miles for it. This is what they call basic coach. It is expected that this may become the baseline in coach travel.
Faster air travel is going to make a comeback. In 2000, the Air France Concorde flight were ended after a crash and because the business model was not sustainable. In fact, they used to offer flights on the Concorde to people who bought first class because it was easier to sell first class seating. Now what is old may be new again as Virgin Galactic is working with Boom Technology to develop airplanes that would fly at double the speed of currently operating commercial planes. NASA is also working on a similar project that should be quieter than the Concord.
It has been shown that aircraft display systems that offer entertainment keep passengers occupied, these new advancements may do that and offer a more comfortable in flight experience.
