Etihad releases VR film starring Nicole Kidman

Source: Etihad website. Kidman in the video.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has released a 360^o virtual reality (VR) film starring Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman. This marks the first time that a Hollywood actor has ever starred in a fully immersive virtual reality movie.

The five-minute feature, titled Reimagine, immerses viewers in an experiential journey following Kidman through one of its new Airbus A380s flying between New York and Abu Dhabi. The airline has used cutting-edge technology and multidisciplinary mediums in the feature to bring to life its acclaimed guest experience and hospitality story by engaging the consumer in various sensory interactions onboard the virtual flight. Each scene in the film takes on a theme intended to stimulate the senses of light, sound, motion, and conversation.

Kidman, who is also Etihad Airways’ brand ambassador, said: “The film is a culmination of Etihad’s vision to tell the airline’s story in an extremely innovative way and a commitment to engaging with the public as has never been attempted by an airline before. It was a great challenge but one which has definitely paid off and it was great to be part of such an exciting project.”

Throughout the experience, the viewer meets and engages with a number of characters including the actress herself, her film director, an opera singer and even an Emirati guest with a falcon in First Class. The journey also provides personal interactions with the Savoy-trained Butler in The Residence, the airline’s luxurious private three room cabin, the in-flight Chef in First Class, the Food and Beverage Manager in Business Class, and the Flying Nanny, trained by the Norland College in the UK.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “We want to share Etihad’s story in a completely new way, using technology to make our consumers a part of the narrative and to experience an Etihad Airways A380 flight first-hand, from anywhere.

“The film demonstrates how, as an innovative brand, we continue to break down the barriers of convention and lead the way in intelligent communication and best practice not just within the aviation industry, but across the fields of marketing, communication and technology.”

The adventure takes the viewer through the twin-decked aircraft and covers its luxurious interiors including Economy Class, Business Class, and First Class, before concluding with a focus on Kidman enjoying The Residence.

Shane O’Hare, Etihad Airways’ Senior Vice President Marketing, said: “In December 2014 we completely reimagined the travel experience with the launch of our new A380 fleet, setting a new standard in innovative design, service and technology. This was followed in 2015 by a tremendously successful adverting campaign starring Nicole Kidman.

“This immersive VR film is a massive step-change in the way we present the Etihad Airways brand and product to the consumer using highly innovative new mediums. Based on the success of our recent campaign with Nicole, the decision to take this partnership to the next level was an obvious one.”

The film, which took more than six months to produce, was filmed exclusively in Abu Dhabi. An Etihad Airways A380 was used for three days and fully customised prior to filming; overhead lockers, seats and other sections of the aircraft’s interior were removed to allow for the installation of Red Dragon cameras, which were used to perfectly capture the actress’ movement through the aircraft. Hundreds of individual lights were required to ensure smooth and uninterrupted shots.

Etihad Airways collaborated with the Barbarian Group, a subsidiary of Cheil Worldwide, and the creative digital production company MediaMonks to produce the film. The feature was directed by husband-and-wife directing duo Anthony Atanasio and Valerie Martinez. The film used pioneering filming techniques to ensure a seamless production with no warping or stitches, achieving unrivalled VR results.

Ola Björling, MediaMonks’ Global Director of VR, said: “As the most multidisciplinary medium there is, virtual reality relies more heavily on craft and execution than anything that has gone before it. We believe the display of artistry in every facet of this production is setting a new benchmark for live-action VR.”

Interested?

Watch Reimagine. An updated version in stereoscopic sound will be released on 17 June. To guarantee the full experience, download the Oculus VR app and view the film using a VR headset, such as Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard.

Tags: Etihad, aviation,marketing, VR, virtual, reality, interactive, video, celebrity, A380,Airbus,travel

Emirates adds Airbus A380 to Perth route

Emirates will be adding its Airbus A380 planes to the Perth, Australia route for the first time, commencing 1 May 2015. The airline has announced that it will up-gauge one of its three daily services between Dubai and Perth to its flagship aircraft, demonstrating the growth of Perth as a global destination. 

The change from a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will see an increase in capacity of 136 seats per flight and 1,904 seats per week, reinforcing Emirates’ commitment to business and leisure passengers visiting the capital city of Western Australia.
Barry Brown, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations - East said the deployment of a fifth Emirates A380 service to the Australia in association with Qantas demonstrates the priority that Emirates places on travel to and from Australia.

“Emirates looks forward to being the first airline to bring the state-of-the-art A380 to Perth, offering residents the chance to experience this revolutionary aircraft and the best service in the sky first-hand, including spacious seating and generous luggage allowances in Economy Class, Wi-Fi throughout, 2,000 channels on ice, our award-winning inflight entertainment system, access to the world’s only on-board shower spas for first class passengers and the on-board lounge where first class and business class passengers can socialise at 40,000 feet,” said Brown. 

"For business and leisure travellers, the Dubai-Perth route is a popular choice and our new Emirates A380 service will be instrumental in helping the airline meet this growing passenger demand as well as deliver substantial economic benefits through travel connections and inbound seats.”

Together with Qantas, a total of seven daily A380 services will operate from Dubai to Australia from May 2015, with onward connections across the country via Qantas’ domestic network.

The Emirates A380 is set in a three-class configuration, with 401 seats in Economy Class on the main deck, 76 fully flat-bed, mini-pods in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper deck.
Emirates passengers will be able to fly the A380 to Perth via Dubai from over 35 European cities including 12 which Emirates also serves with the A380. Emirates’ Perth A380 service will operate daily as EK420 departing Dubai at 0255 and arriving at Perth International Airport at 1735 the same day. The return flight, EK421, will depart Perth at 2210 and arrives in Dubai the following day at 0525, a flying time of 11 hours 15 minutes.

The airline recently introduced a daily A380 service to Brisbane and Melbourne, a double daily A380 service to Sydney and a daily Adelaide service.

Emirates is today the world’s largest operator of the A380 aircraft, with 56 in the fleet and 84 on order. Emirates’ A380 programme has seen 12 new double-decker aircraft join the fleet and launch to ten new A380 destinations in the past 12 months, including to Kuwait. Manila and Tehran have also experienced the flagship Emirates aircraft when the A380 touched down on their tarmac for a one-off showcase in 2014.

Etihad redesigns new aircraft for boutique hotel experience in the air

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has completely re-imagined what plane travel will look like in first, business and economy classes onboard the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to be delivered later this year.

Five years in the making, the airline's design vision is to bring the individuality and exclusivity of a luxury boutique hotel experience to the sky in a way that embraced Arabian Modernism, an aesthetic that combines the traditions of the region with contemporary design.


First Apartments

The First Apartment on the airline’s A380 fleet will offer a complete living space with a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman which converts to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed. Each First Apartment has a total area of 39 square feet, 74% more space than Etihad Airways’ existing First Class suite. 

The First Suite on the Etihad Airways B787 offers guests an enhanced suite with chilled mini-bar, complete privacy and centre seats which can be joined to create a double bed.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The final product is far superior to anything available in the market today and more akin to the offerings of the world’s top five-star hotels, as guests onboard our A380 and B787 will soon discover."

Nine First Apartments will be located in the upper deck of Etihad Airways’ A380s, six of which have ‘connecting doors’ that allow them to create apartments for guests travelling together. Configured along a single aisle, a first for the industry, Etihad Airways’ First Apartments include a 30.3 inch reclining lounge chair and separate full length ottoman which opens into an 80.5 inch long and 26 inch wide fully flat bed. 

The First Apartment also includes a chilled mini-bar, personal wardrobe, and a separate vanity unit with lit make-up mirrors and stocked with luxury branded amenities, as well as a shower room. 

The Etihad Airways B787 will feature eight First Suites in a 1-2-1 configuration. The B787 First Suite boasts a 26 inch wide Poltrona Frau seat that converts to a comfortable 80.5-inch long fully-flat bed.

Like the First Apartments on the A380, the First Suites on the B787 will also offer a chilled mini-bar and Poltrona Frau leather upholstery. 

First Class Chefs will provide a five-star restaurant-style service in the sky, with guests able to request dishes prepared to their personal tastes and preferences.
 
Click here and here to view video of the new first class cabins. 
Business Studio

The airline will debut its new Business Studio onboard its Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering a standard of luxury associated with the industry’s first class travel.
 
A total of 70 Business Studios will be located on the upper deck of the A380, while the B787 will have 28 Business Studios, all offering aisle access and a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long.
 
“We’re confident this new product will meet the diverse needs and highest expectations of today’s business traveller who will experience the Business Studio onboard our new A380 and B787,” said Baumgartner.

The Business Studios, which are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving direct aisle access to all passengers, are also the airline’s first dovetail (forward and aft) layout, allowing optimal use of cabin space. The suite has a 22 inch wide seat and separate ottoman, which together create a fully-flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long.

The centre Business Studios, while ideal for those travelling together, also offer full privacy for passengers traveling alone with full-height screens between the suites. Generous storage is also available inside the Business Studio, including room underneath the ottoman for carry-on items and shoes, as well as a large top-loading cupboard for water bottles, head-sets, literature and other items. Each Studio also features an ample side-furniture surface convenient for resting laptops, tablets and books. A number of different lighting options provide flexibility, including a side lamp, a reading light, and mood lighting.
 
The A380 will have Etihad Airways’ full mobile and Wi-Fly connectivity, while the B787 is equipped with Wi-Fly.
 
The Lobby for First and Business

Source: Etihad. The Lobby.

On the A380, First and Business Class guests will be able to relax in The Lobby, a serviced lounge and bar area located between the First and Business cabins.
With semi-circular leather sofas, a marquetry table and a large TV screen, The Lobby is designed for relaxing and socialising.

The Lobby TV has a HDMI connection so it can be used for sharing content or it can also be set to the airline’s Live TV channels for sporting and other events.
 
Click here and here to view video of the new Business cabins. 
Economy Smart Seat

In the economy class the airline will debut its new Economy Smart Seat, which is customised with a ‘fixed wing’ headrest which offers greater comfort and relaxation to guests. Upholstered in locally-sourced camel leather, the fixed wing headrest is designed to provide a firm surface for guests to rest their heads, as well as additional privacy between seats.
 
Baumgartner said: “Etihad Airways has always understood the importance of providing a travel experience that cannot be matched by others, and we have spent the past five years creating an Economy Class product that will be favoured by millions around the world.”
 
Etihad Airways is introducing Panasonic's most advanced eX3 in-flight entertainment system across both fleets, providing more than 750 hours of on-demand entertainment, improved gaming and high definition screens across all cabins.

The system has touchscreen handsets that offer a second screen for passengers so they can view additional content while watching a movie. Noise cancelling headsets are provided across all cabins.
 
Across the entire fleet, Etihad Airways will continue to offer a choice of three main courses in economy class, as well as a café service with hot chocolate and cappuccino.

Click here and here to view video of the new economy class cabins.