Finnair, the official airline of Santa, is using virtual reality to offer passengers an immersive 360-degree experience to visit Santa in his hometown of Rovaniemi.
The flights, available from 25 December, have been created by Finnish VR studio Zoan with real-time 3D graphics tool, Unreal Engine. Virtual customers can enjoy a flight on their mobile phones or laptops where they will experience Finnair’s A350 Nordic Business Class. A VR headset can also be used to access a web browser and open a video.
The 30-minute Finnair Virtual Holiday will be broadcasted as a live stream, with refreshments and a business class meal, served by cabin crew.
The VR experience will also offer familiar flight soundscapes and festive decorations. After landing in the wintry city of Rovaniemi, customers will be able to cross the Arctic Circle and enter Santa’s cabin to meet Santa Claus himself.
Passengers who board the virtual flight will be supporting UNICEF’s work to slow the spread of Covid-19 and minimise the pandemic’s impact on children worldwide.
Mikko Turtiainen, Finnair VP of Global Sales, said: “Thanks to the magic of Virtual Reality, Finnair can ‘fly’ families to Rovaniemi in Lapland – despite the travel restrictions – to enjoy a winter wonderland and meet Santa. I hope this brings a big smile to those participating.”
Tiina Tissari, VP of Customer Experience and Products at Finnair, commented: “We think VR is an important tool which could be used to complement the physical in-flight experience. Customers could, for instance, choose their holiday destination or make travel plans by checking out sights and locations through VR. We also believe the in-flight experience will become more personalised so that customers can customise and enhance their journey to fit their individual needs and preferences. VR could also be a valuable tool here.”
