United Airlines has unveiled its latest technological advancement, showcasing the integration of Bluetooth aboard its aircraft. With more than 100 planes already equipped and plans to expand the feature to approximately 800 aircraft by 2032, the US carrier is committed to improving the in-flight experience for its passengers.
The venture is a key component of United Airlines’ United Next initiative, aimed at ushering air travel into the digital era and offering travelers unparalleled convenience and connectivity. “United was the first US airline to roll out Bluetooth and when we saw Apple’s new AirPods features, we knew it could be a game changer for our customers and our employees”, said Jason Birnbaum, the Chief Information Officer at United.
The new feature allows passengers to connect their own Bluetooth headphones or earphone to the in-flight enertainment system, thus escaping the hassle of wires and greatly improving sound quality compared to the earphones usually available onboard.
The integration is particularly favourable for AirPod Pro owners who can enjoy additional benefits. Among the features, the AirPods Pro’s Conversation Awareness capability automatically adjusts audio levels when passengers engage with the flight attendants, while the Adaptive Audio function, catering to the dynamic noise environment within the aircraft, ensures that passengers can enjoy a customized audio experience, blending Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation to minimize disruptive ambient sounds.
“People want to stay connected while they’re in the air, but there’s also a lot of interactions between our crew and customers – the technological combination of wireless connectivity, Conversation Awareness, and Adaptive Audio result in a great experience for everyone”, Birnbaum added.
In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, United’s new and retrofit planes also include several customer amenities, technological innovations and fuel efficiency benefits. For narrowbodies, these include seatback screens in every seat, enough overhead room for everyone’s carry-on and fast Wi-Fi. And each new widebody features United Polaris business class, where customers get their own pod with lie-flat seats and 16-inch seatback screens.
Over the the last decade, United has extended its collaboration with Apple, by incorporating various Apple products into its operations. 2011 marked the deployment of the first-ever paperless flight deck with iPads. The implementation of iPads equipped with Touch has facilitated document sign-offs and mitigated potential delays for passengers during operational processes. Live Activities support for the United app on iPhones has ensured passengers promptly receive updates and gain convenient access to essential flight-related information.
