KT Corp., one of the largest telecoms in South Korea, is developing a virtual reality (VR) entertainment service for air passengers working with low-cost Korean airliner Jin Air Co. and Hanjin Information Systems & Telecommunications Co (HIST).
Under the agreement, KT will provide its VR service platform, called Super VR, for Jin Air passengers to access immersive media contents while in flight. The service will begin with international routes mostly used for family travelers before the end of this year.
Super VR will be connected to the aircraft’s computer servers and allow for in-flight public announcements through the VR headsets and the service will be optimized for emergency control for safety. Passengers will be able to rent the VR headsets to view movies in ultra-high resolution, travel, sports and other VR content in 360° images.
KT said it developed the VR system due to increases in mid- and long-distance flights of domestic low-cost carriers that are seeking in-flight entertainment systems but lack video screens on the aircraft.
KT has already experimented with porting VR entertainment platforms to other hospitality and transportation systems such as hotels, express buses, cable cars and passenger boats. This is the company’s first attempt to bring VR to airliners.
Jin Air has previously experimented with VR on its planes in a pilot project and plans to provide passengers with differentiated in-flight entertainment with KT’s VR service on a variety of routes.
