Let’s face it: no matter how much research you may conduct prior to traveling to another country where you may have never been before, you find that there is always something about which you would have liked to have known first prior to departure.
A new technology provided to passengers by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines hopes to provide you with a solution.
Passengers Encouraged to Share Insights About Each Other’s Countries Using Holographic Technology
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could encourage travellers to connect and share cultural insights?” is a question posted on the official Twitter account of the airline, which celebrates 100 years in business as of Monday, October 7, 2019 and is the oldest operating airline in the world.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could encourage travellers to connect and share cultural insights? 🌎✈️ pic.twitter.com/t6RBuJqVox
— KLM (@KLM) January 28, 2019
Each of the small blue booths — which are known as Take-off Tips bars — are currently installed in Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro and Oslo; and they are equipped with a three dimensional scanner and a hologram beamer to allow passengers to see each other live and in three dimensions all around the world.
The idea is for two passengers — who are traveling to each other’s home countries — to see and talk to each other in real time and give each other helpful tips and advice for ensuring that their visits are as successful as possible.
Airports can be impersonal: crowded with people, minding their own business. So wouldn’t it be great if we could persuade travellers to connect and share some of their personal knowledge, instead of them spending time on their mobile phones or in books?” are the questions asked at the official Internet web site of Take-off Tips. “Traveling is about breaking free of our comfort zones and becoming immersed in a local culture. Discover cities and cultures by following the advice of real locals that know their city inside out.”
Summary
I think this is potentially a great idea. After all, who would know the culture of a country than a person who is local with years of experience?
This concept seems to certainly be better than the Meet & Seat initiative, which some people found bordering on creepy. With Meet & Seat, you can find out who will be on your flight — as well as view the Facebook or LinkedIn profile details of other passengers and see where they will be sitting — long before your flight leaves the ground.
Credit goes to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for at least trying to differentiate itself from other airlines in attempting to provide passengers with a positive experience — and I hope that Take-off Tips bars are expanded to other locations around the world.
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
