Okay, so we know from Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson that airlines have essentially exhausted all their inflight entertainment options thanks to wi-fi, lay flat beds, Netflix in the air, tablet capabilities, etc.
You name it and it’s more than likely already available in the sky, so what’s left for carriers to distinguish themselves from the competition?
How about, flying their customers to long haul destinations in shorter times.
While Qantas uses modern aircraft technology to connect Aussies to ultra long haul destinations, Virgin Australia’s boss says he believes aviation shouldn’t be ‘how far’ but rather ‘how fast’, The Australian Financial Review reported.
John Borghetti said in order to achieve “next step change”, the industry needs to shift away from discussions on extending non-stop technology and focus on getting passengers to their destinations faster.
Like say for example, Sydney to Los Angeles in under seven hours.
Speaking in Canberra, Borghetti said focusing on the development of supersonic aircraft technology could cut travel time in half to almost anywhere in the world.
One company already working on the technology is US-based Boom, which expects to launch a super-fast XB-1 Supersonic Demonstrator in 2018.
Borghetti said the aircraft could be ready for commercial use in the early 2020s and may be operating on popular routes within a decade.
“It is entirely reasonable to believe that in the next 10 years, we will see supersonic jets safely and sustainably flying commercial passengers.”
John Borghetii, Virgin Australia Chief Executive
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