June 30, 2025
With the airline industry facing a multitude of obstacles as of late, employee training and customer peace of mind are more important than ever. How are major airlines utilizing XR to meet today's challenges?
Envoy Training Pilots to Fly High Using Virtual Reality
Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines, is leading the way in U.S. aviation by becoming the first carrier to gain Federal Aviation administration (FAA) approval for incorporating Virtual Reality (VR) into its pilot training programs.
The airline is employing VR headsets and joysticks at its Dallas headquarters to simulate critical tasks such as preflight walkarounds and flight deck checklists without the need to appropriate an actual aircraft.
This innovative approach, developed in partnership with Florida-based Cole Engineering Services, compliments traditional training tools like flight simulators. According to Captain Allen Hill, Envoy’s Director of Flight Training, “Both junior and senior aviators take to it very well. It helps them gain proficiency in a shorter period of time,” enhancing pilot readiness for real-world operations.
The VR system offers a highly immersive environment in which pilots can practice inspecting aircraft for potential issues or run through cockpit procedures as if preparing for an IRL flight. In addition to pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians are also using the technology for simulating tasks like changing an airplane tire.
A key advantage of the training program is its accessibility: While the full VR experience is available at Envoy’s headquarters, trainees can use a 2D version of the software on smartphones and other personal devices at home, enabling learning anywhere, anytime.
This flexibility, combined with the safe, controlled setting of VR, reduces training costs and risk while improving skill retention. Envoy’s adoption of VR signals a positive shift in aviation training, potentially setting a new standard for efficiency and effectiveness in the industry.
Alaska Airlines Simulating Flight with the Help of Loft Dynamics
Alaska Airlines is pioneering a new era in pilot training by investing in and working with Loft Dynamics to develop the world’s first full-motion Boeing 737 VR simulator. The airline is betting big on extended reality through its venture capital company Alaska Star Ventures in order to build an immersive training platform that replicates real-world flight scenarios.
The goal is to enhance training efficiency, accessibility and scalability, allowing pilots to practice real-world scenarios in a safe yet realistic environment while saving money. Using the LoftSPATIAL application for Apple Vision Pro, the airline expects to deploy XR to its pilot bases within the next two years.
The exciting partnership between companies could hopefully transform commercial pilot training worldwide and help address the pilot shortage while prioritizing safety.
Alaska Airlines first piloted VR pilot training in 2022, acquiring a number of VR headsets with cockpit procedure training software from VRpilot. Seeking greater training flexibility and the opportunity for self-directed training, Alaska hoped VR would enable pilots to train remotely and thus reduce both the need for travel and the airline’s carbon footprint.
Meta Enhances In-flight Entertainment with Luftshansa
Meta’s introduction of Quest 3 headsets for in-flight entertainment, part of a partnership with Lufthansa, has been med with overwhelmingly positive feedback. The popular VR headset was made available to Allegris Business Class Suite passengers on select flights.
Using Meta’s built-in “Travel Mode,” passengers could enjoy an array of immersive experiences, including movies, Connect 4 and other board games, and even guided meditation while in the air.
Sarah Malkin, Meta’s Director of Entertainment Content at Reality Labs explains, “We’re now focused on expanding this offering to more airlines and optimizing our product suite.” The tech giant has yet to reveal which airlines it hopes or plans to partner with.
Lufthansa isn't the first airline to launch a virtual in-flight experience. Qantas and Samsung partnered for a lackluster launch back in 2015, while airlines like British Airways, Air France, Iberia, and Singapore Airlines have all adopted headset pilot programs. Many (if not all) of these haven't lasted.
Augmenting Reality with Brussels Airlines
Last year, Brussels Airlines partnered with music festival Tomorrowland, on the “world’s first AR-optimized plane.” The A320neo Airbus belongs to the airline’s Belgian Icons fleet, which showcases the best of Belgium.
Named “Amare” after the festival’s bird icon and to symbolize unity and global connectivity, the aircraft featured a livery design of a large, futuristic bird that became animated when scanned via social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Twin branding appeared inside the aircraft on headrests and stowaway lockers, and the whole experience was enhanced by mood lighting and an immersive sound system for augmented storytelling.
In addition to the AR activation, the partnership emphasized sustainability. The eco-friendly A320neo reduces CO2 emissions by up to 20% and noise pollution by 50%, helping to offset carbon emissions for the Tomorrowland festival for those attendees who flew into Antwerp on Brussels Airlines.
Image source: Brussels Airlines
*Catch innovators from Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and more speaking at the 2025 Augmented Enterprise Summit Sept. 23-25 in Dallas. Reduced-price tickets are now on sale for a limited time at www.augmentedenterprisesummit.com
