Future Planes Will Track Lots of Data on Passengers, Including How Long They Spend in the Bathroom
The airplane of the future is almost here. And, according to experts, it will know everything about you as a passenger. Including how long you spend in the bathroom.
In early October, Airbus unveiled what it believes to be the future of its aircraft at an industry event in Los Angeles. It’s calling its new cabin the Airspace Connected Experience, CNN reported.
The new planes will come with a host of high-tech gadgets to assist crew members in ensuring passengers have an enjoyable — and safe — flight. The connected aircraft could also help save airlines a bundle of cash along the way by better understanding passenger needs.
The new aircraft, NBC reported, will come with sensors throughout the cabin, including sensors on seatbelts to alert crew members when they aren’t buckled, on the back of seats, as well as a camera outside the bathrooms to monitor lines.
Though some have expressed personal privacy concerns over the bathroom cameras, Ingo Wuggetzer, VP marketing at Airbus, explained to CNN, that the cameras will not capture passenger’s faces.
"First they are not hidden," he explained. "And secondly, they are in front of the lavatories."
Wuggetzer noted the sensors and cameras will also assist the crew in monitoring how much toilet paper and soap are left in each bathroom. It will also alert crew members if a passenger is spending an unusual amount of time in the bathroom.
"This information might go to the crew — but it's completely decoupled from any personal passenger information," Wuggetzer said.
Beyond bathrooms, each seat will also come pre-programmed to fit passenger needs and wants. That will include seat reclining preferences, dining preferences, and personalized in-flight entertainment preferences. And all of this information will be readily available to crew members, so they can provide guests with an even higher level of service with ease.
Though it’s unclear exactly when these connected airplanes will be available, Wuggetzer said you really can expect them in the future. As he said, “It’s not a concept. It’s not a dream.”
