Virgin to trial smart eye-wear to identify passengers
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers are to be greeted at Heathrow by staff wearing smart glasses or watches with built-in technology that will enable them to identify customers, welcome them by name and offer them a ‘more personalised’ customer service, said the airline.
Virgin claims it is the first to trial Google Glass and Sony Smartwatch technology, which will both be used in the six-week pilot scheme.
"Concierge staff in the airline’s Upper Class Wing will be using wearable technology to deliver the industry’s most high tech and personalized customer service yet," it said.
The technology will enable Virgin staff to greet Upper Class passengers arriving at Heathrow’s T3 by name and make the check-in process smother.
At the same time, staff will be able to update passengers on their latest flight information, weather and local events at their destination and translate any foreign language information.
"In future, the technology could also tell Virgin Atlantic staff their passengers’ dietary and refreshment preferences – anything that provides a better and more personalized service," said the airline.
During the six-week pilot, the benefits to consumers and the business will be evaluated ahead of a potential wider roll-out in the future.
Airline staff are equipped with either Google Glass or a Sony SmartWatch 2, which is integrated to both a purpose-built dispatch app and the Virgin Atlantic passenger service system.
The dispatch app manages all task allocation and concierge availability. It pushes individual passenger information directly to the assigned concierge’s smart glasses or watch just as the passenger arrives at the Upper Class Wing.
Virgin’s director of IT Dave Bulman said: "While it’s fantastic that more people can now fly than ever before, the fact that air travel has become so accessible has led to some of the sheen being lost for many passengers.
"Our wearable technology pilot with (airline technology provider) SITA makes us the first in the industry to test how Google Glass and other wearable technology can improve the customer experience."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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