Air New Zealand May Use Augmented Reality to Remember Your Next Meal
Air New Zealand is looking to up their customer service game with an interesting new piece of technology. The carrier has paired with Microsoft to introduce the computer company's HoloLens AR headset into flight attendants' uniforms. The headset, which looks like a large set of sunglasses which extra headgear, could relay information to the attendant like your favorite drink, favorite meal, the last time you ate or drank and even your mood. The headset can also display information like when your last flight was, where you're headed and your loyalty status.
While this is ostensibly meant to make the flying process a bit friendlier — which, with all of the outrages recently committed by airlines isn't such a bad thing — it's not entirely clear how a virtual reality headset can read a human mood better than an actual...human. Not to mention, as someone who gets fairly stressed on flights and likes to have a glass of wine or two, I'm not sure I'd love for my flight attendant to see the timing of my last drink — or meal for that matter.
This project is currently in beta testing, so there's time to work out kinks in the system. And as someone who finds herself in coach more often than business (meaning: always), my drink and meal preference won't mean much. While travelers may have some reservations about the amount of information this technology could give another person in the literal blink of an eye, I can't say I wouldn't be amused seeing a flight attendant in goofy goggles "air tapping" around the cabin. So at least there's that.
H/T: Mashable
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 2X miles | Earn 2X miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere |
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Pros
- Simple earning structure
- Bonus categories
- Annual credits
- No foreign transaction fees
- Flexible redemption options, including transfer partners
Cons
- Has an annual fee
- Fewer bonus categories than some competitors
- Lacks premium perks
- Limited-time offer: Earn up to 150,000 bonus miles—75,000 miles once you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months, and an additional 75,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account
- Receive up to $220 in credits: Receive an annual $50 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel, up to an annual $50 statement credit for purchases at qualifying advertising or software merchants, plus up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® every four years. Terms and conditions apply
- Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel
- Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services
- $95 annual fee
- Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases
- Top rated mobile app