Virtual Reality in JetBlue

Virtual reality and airlines, I have a hard time connecting the two. My stereotype is that airlines don’t seem to be able to bring virtual reality devices on board because it would greatly reduce the capacity of the plane and I think consumers prefer to experience real travel rather than virtual.

How they use?

The truth is, JetBlue surprised me once again. jetBlue is now using virtual reality. Unlike what I thought, it uses the area not for customers, but for employees. Especially in the area of employee training.

“The first Immersive Learning project that Kozak created at JetBlue was a simple walk-around of a narrow-body Airbus. In the headset, trainees are standing on the ground outside a JetBlue aircraft, under the lights and hearing airport sounds — just like real life. The training was broken into three different modules, which had the trainee explore the different areas of the aircraft, then get tested on identifying issues under a time-crunch. This allowed technicians to practice the walk-around in a safe environment that simulated what it would be like in real-world scenarios. Because the training was in VR — not on an expensive plane — they could repeat the exercise over and over, ultimately becoming more familiar with the airplane setup before being thrown into the job.”

When talking about virtual reality we usually think of brands offering this service to consumers, but JetBlue is smart in that it offers this service to its in-house technicians. It has been able to integrate its brand with this seemingly mismatched trend.

This approach is beneficial in two ways, one is saving money. Training technicians through virtual reality can give reduce JetBlue’s payment in personnel training, in the past, technicians need to go to specialized training institutions to receive professional training. The training of technical staff through virtual reality is relatively cost-effective. And in meeting marketing objectives, JetBlue brings virtual reality to employee training to indirectly meet customer needs. JetBlue is a major U.S. airline known for its low fares and great customer experience. The airline’s 22,000 employees help make 1,000 daily flights possible for travelers around the world. Technicians are an important piece of the puzzle, as they perform a variety of functions to keep the aircraft safe and secure. The emphasis on technician training is also a factor in the good influence customers have on JetBlue.

Fade or stay

I think this trend is here to stay, and the short answer is that if the move is profitable for the company, then it makes sense and will continue to be there.

The Embraer 190, which has a complicated door on it. In the past, JetBlue had had occasional issues with inflight crew members getting out of sequence with the steps required to open and close the door. Unfortunately, a wrong move could result in a mandatory slide deployment — a mistake that cost the airline up to $50,000 each time it happened. It was critical to JetBlue that employees understand exactly how to arm, close, disarm, and open the door correctly so that things would go smoothly “in the field.”

With the involvement of virtual reality, technicians get more in-depth training. The damage that could be avoided was $50,000 per visit. With this, it is able to prove the importance of virtual reality now for JetBlue and it will continue to exist.