Time for bye-byes on BA
The search by airlines to find ways to sooth their customers to sleep has taken another turn with British Airways.
BA has begun testing a hi-tech blanket which changes colour using brainwaves, to ensure it offers customers the best flight’s sleep in the sky.
The ‘happiness blanket’, woven with fibre optics, uses neuro-sensors to measure a person’s brainwaves and changes colour, from red to blue, to show when they’re at their most relaxed and meditative.
The airline hopes monitoring a person’s sleep and relaxation patterns during a flight will inform decisions made to improve aspects of the in-flight service; from changing the timing of meals, what food is served and even the types of films being shown.
Frank van der Post, British Airways’ managing director, brands and customer experience, said: "Using technology like the British Airways ‘happiness blanket’ is another way for us to investigate how our customers’ relaxation and sleep is affected by everything on board, from the amount of light in the cabin, when they eat, to what in-flight entertainment they watch and their position in the seat."
Last week BA announced the introduction of ‘Slow TV’ programming on board a number of its long-haul flights.
The ‘wallpaper’ style footage, which features a seven-hour train journey through Norway, introduces a hypnotic quality for some viewers.
Ian Jarrett
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