augmented reality

Travel tidbits from an airport near you

Events, , , ,

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) welcomes Burners

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is getting ready to welcome the Burners that fly in for the Burning Man Festival and head out to the Black Rock Desert.

American Airlines has added a special nonstop flight between RNO and LAX from August 23 to September 3 to accommodate all the Burners.

And RNO airport has kicked off a new exhibit in its depARTures Gallery.

Beyond Blackrock: A Global Burning Man Showcase spotlights five Burning Man events from around the world, including New Zealand’s “Kiwiburn”, Washington D.C.’s “Catharsis on the Mall”, South Africa’s “AfrikaBurn”, Argentina’s “Fuego Austral” and Texas’ “Burning Flipside & Freezerburn”.

Oakland International Airport (OAK) hosting augmented reality game

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) is joining with a handful of Bay Area organizations to host an augmented reality game for passengers.

The Bay Area Explorer 5.0 Campaign runs through September 7 and presents players with “Missions” designed to teach players about local history, culture, ecosystems, and safety.

In addition to OAK Airport, participating organizations include U.S Fish and Wildlife – Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the National Park Service – San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Santa Clara County Parks, California State Parks-Seacliff State Beach, Oakland Zoo, BART, Madera County, City of Morgan Hill, Sacramento County Parks, and the City of San Jose. 

Scavenger hunt for prizes at SJC Airport

And San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is celebrating National Aviation Week with a the return of the QR Scavenger Hunt throughout its terminals from now through September 9.

Prizes include airport parking vouchers, lounge passes and airport swag.

KLM’s augmented reality bag sizer for carry-on bags

Baggage, Technology, , ,

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has added an augmented reality bag sizer tool to its app to help passengers figure out if their carry-on bags comply with the airline’s rules.

The augmented reality bag check tool shows a virtual KLM suitcase that is the size of a carry-on bag that fits the dimensions of the bags KLM allows on board.

When the user points their phone at their own carry-on bag, the augmented reality tool can measure the bag against the sample bag.

Here’s a video that shows how the tool works.

 

While it seems that many passengers ignore most airlines’ rules about the dimensions of carry-on bags allowed,  the augmented reality tool seems like a great way for resposible travelres to comply with the rules.

This also seems like a good way to avoid arguments at the gate when KLM gate staffers are being sticklers about enforcing the rules.

If it works well, this is a tool every airline could add to their app.

Passengers could use it to measure their bag before they leave home. In the boarding area, gate agents who feel a bag is oversized could just aim their version of the app at a bag. If there’s debate, both passenger and gate agent could take a screen shot of the results.

Now there just needs to be a way to weigh bags with an app!

KLM’s app offers some other augmented reality features as well, including a 360-degree display of a Dreamliner aircraft and, in the KLM Houses App, a look at Anthony Fokker’s House 98.