MONTREAL — Travel agents can experience for themselves what it’s like to fly on Air Canada’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 airline – 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.
“Air Canada 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 Air Canada’s offerings through the magic of an interactive, virtual tour,” said Duncan Bureau, Vice President, Global Sales at Air Canada. “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 Air Canada’s global route network followed by an exploration of the new Air Canada livery. On the trip users can experience all three cabins: Economy, Premium Economy or International Business. Amenity kits, an Air Canada 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, Air Canada has produced 360 degree videos of the 787 cabin that can be accessed on a mobile device or desktop at https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/fly/onboard/cabin-features.html.
Air Canada’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner virtual reality experience will be available at the following events:
• Air Canada Pop-Up Poutinerie, Shoreditch, London (UK), until November 11, 2017.
• True Patriot Love Gala, Toronto, November 9, 2017;
• BAZAR ED, Santiago, Chile. November 22 to 26, 2017;
• WX Top 100 Leadership Summit, Toronto, November 23, 2017;
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Gala, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, November 30, 2017.
