Check it out before you fly with Emirates' virtual reality

Want to know what you’re getting into — or even what you’re not getting into but would probably like to  —  before you hop on an Emirates aircraft? Now you can. The airline is offering 3-D immersive web virtual reality technology to allow you to explore the cabins on its Airbus A380 and, soon, its Boeing 777 aircraft. The technology gives you a 360-degree view and is easy use as long as you pay attention to the small icons. In  first class, you start out in the aisle but by clicking on an icon can enter suite 2K. Clicking on more icons gives you a brief of various features in the suite such as entertainment options and the minibar. You can turn the cabin mood lighting on or off but don’t bother pressing any of the buttons on the seats —  they don’t do anything. The feature is available for all three classes and for the onboard bar and the first class shower spa on the A380. READ Boeing 777X in good shape says Emirates A useful feature in economy is that it shows you what an extra legroom seat looks like. You can also check out a window seat. Another button allows you to switch between decks allowing those in economy to shoot upstairs to see how the other half travels. This new feature is available on emirates.com and users can get a hands-free 3D experience by using any virtual reality headset such as Google Cardboard. The software, created in conjunction with award winners Renacen, is also compatible with all devices without the need for external applications or plugins. Emirates senior vice president Alex Knigge said the airline continued to invest in a world-class digital experience for passengers and pleased to be the world’s first airline to introduce the cutting-edge web VR technology. ‘In our usability tests with customers, we found that they particularly appreciated the 3D seat and cabin models when selecting their seats,” he said. The airline said customers accessing emirates.com via their mobile devices or the Emirates app for iOS and Android will also be able to explore their seats before checking in online with the 3D seat map. This tool allows customers to navigate from one seat to another and to book their preferred seats from within the 3D environment.