Future of travel: Changes coming to airports, planes in next 10 years
What if airports transform into aerovilles in
the next 10 years? Maybe you’ll arrive 3 hours before your flight just to visit
an interesting exhibition, swim in the pool or watch a movie.
And don’t worry about your flight: plane cabins will change so
dramatically that your noisy neighbors won’t bother you, you’ll be able to sit
even 15 hours without feeling uncomfortable, and jetlag will become a scary
story from the past.
Futurologists, airport designers and the Skyscanner team predict
the “Future of travel”. Read the newest chapter of our report and find out how airplanes and airports
will change by 2024.
Exhibitions, cinemas and shopping at the
airport
Today we regard airports usually as places where we must spend
time before our flight. But this attitude will radically change soon as
airports will become an interesting, if not the best, part of your journey.
By 2024, most major airports will let you not only kill time in
a bar or at Starbucks, but you could catch a flick at a movie theater, relax by
doing yoga or take a dip in a swimming pool. The exhibition at Netherland’s
Schiphol airport with the masterpieces of Dutch artists, five-story high vertical
garden, 4 movie theaters and a roof-top swimming pool at Changi airport – these
are just the forerunners of the amazing aerovilles of the future
infrastructure.
The revolution will also concern duty free shops. These stores
will be transformed into giant virtual shopping walls where you can buy
anything and schedule it to be delivered straight to your home. You’ll not only
be able to see items from any possible angle on the wall, but also touch and
smell them. Think it’s too good to be true? Well, Disney is
taking the first steps in recording and reconstructing tactile qualities.
Check-in and customs control
Imagine checking in for your flight in mere seconds. That’s what
we’re heading for in 10 years. Development of the biometric technologies
including facial recognition and integrating it with smartphones and electronic
tickets will make long check-in lines disappear.
Passengers having to take off their shoes and belts or being
scanned by metal detectors will be a thing of the past. Modern molecular
scanners will replace X-ray machines and will tell the chemical composition of
luggage. It will recognise forbidden items 10 million times faster than now.
This technology is already on the market and some gadgets are not larger than a
regular USB flash drives.
Baggage check-in and other boring formalities will stay in the
past when digital tags replace regular baggage labels. British Airways and Microsoft have already made the first step towards this with digital
tags that would remind you of your standard smartphone.
In the near future luggage will come with digital tags already
built into the suitcase. After that smart-suitcases will be introduced with an
ability to “communicate” with household appliances via wireless. That means
your washing machine will know you’re bringing home a T-shirt with some
sunscreen stains. Hotels will also be able to use the technology to things
which toiletries you will need for your stay before you’ve even arrived at the
front desk.
Farwell jet lag: planes of the future
Forget economy and business class. The cabin of future planes
will be divided into different zones. One of them will allow travellers to
chat, play games or watch movies. Another will be reserved for relaxing and
sleeping. Airbus has already created the concept cabin of such an aircraft,
where passenger may even play some golf or tennis.
Seats of the next generation will be equipped with individual
climate control, holographic communications and entertainment hubs. Morphing
seats will fit a traveler’s body like a glove and built-in noise-suppressing
systems will banish outside sounds. That means the restless child sitting
behind you or a snoring neighbor will not bother you, assuring you can have a
good rest. Cabin smart lighting will include lamps that produce melatonin. Such
light and a good rest will eliminate jet lag forever.
New 5G connectivity standard will become a part of regular
on-board service. The result is having Internet connectivity in the air that’s
nearly the same as it is on the ground. Many airlines have already loosen or
cancelled the ban on using electronics during the flight. By 2024 it may
disappear altogether and let us watch movies or shows, browse work documents or
chat with friends in a way we are used to.
Find out more on how airports and planes will change in the
future from the second chapter of
Skyscanner “Future of Travel” report. The first part of this three-part report revealed how
planning and booking your travel will change in the future: from smart contact
lenses and scents transfer to tactile qualities simulation and holographic
personal assistants.
The next chapter will be dedicated to future travel
destinations, futuristic hotels and space travels. Sign up for the news and be
the first to see the future!
