Aviation

Augmented reality app will allow airlines to track late passengers

London’s Gatwick Airport has installed about 2,000 beacons as an indoor navigation system that uses augmented reality wayfinding for passengers.

The goal is to make it easier for passengers to find their way around the airport and avoid missing flights. The airport is using augmented reality and navigation beacons because of a lack of satellite signals that makes Google or Apple maps unreliable indoors. Gatwick claims it is the first airport to use AR as a source for navigation inside an airport and says the technology is more reliable than GPS.

The beacon system enables an AR wayfinding tool allowing passengers to be shown directions in the camera view of their smartphone. This can point passengers in the right direction to check in areas, departure gates or baggage claim.

The airport is integrating the technology into its own proprietary apps and is also working with other airlines to enable the indoor positioning system and wayfinding tools on these airlines’ apps. While no personal data is collected, the technology does monitor population density in different airport locations to improve passenger flow and ease congestion.

Future iterations of the technology could include sending reminders to passengers if a flight is delayed or sending information to airlines about late running passengers. The beacons could also potentially be used by retailers or third parties to detect proximity or promotional messages.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.