Royal Dutch Airlines turns to AR to take the second guessing out of carry-on luggage.
Having the urge to pursue your wanderlust and experience foreign cultures, check out famous landmarks (physical or digital), and meet new people around the globe is as exciting and romantic as you could imagine, but sometimes that excitement and romance can come with a few hiccups.
Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) is attempting to turn one of those annoying inconveniences into an avoidable situation via a new AR update to their app that will assist you in figuring out if your carry-on luggage can be tucked into the overhead bin on your flight, or if you’ll need to check your bags.
Any traveler, whether domestic or international, will tell you that checking your luggage can be a real drag and can easily ruin your flight. Especially when your phone battery is about to die and your charger is in the suitcase that you thought was carry-on, but is now stowed away deep within the belly of the plane.
The app, which was built using Apple’s ARKit and is available only for iPhone and iPad users, creates an AR suitcase built to the exact dimensions for what is permitted as carry-on. This way you’re able to compare the digital with the real by overlaying the two, better determining if your suitcase will be allowed as carry-on.
In an official statement from KLM, Pieter Groeneveld, Senior VP Digital Air France said, “By harnessing the potential of AR, KLM is taking the next step in terms of digital service provision. With the AR hand baggage check, passengers can now seat a glance whether their hand baggage is the correct size.”
Something that you’ll need to keep in mind is that because the relationship between AR and the real-world isn’t exactly foolproof (yet), the app will display a disclaimer informing you that the airline can’t guarantee that your luggage will actually be allowed on board even if the app says you’re good to go. Worst case scenario it’s still an excellent tool for determining if you’re bag is even close to the required measurements.
KLM actually recommends that you use the airlines baggage rules available here on their website to determine if your luggage is carry-on.
However, KLM still firmly believes that as AR technology develops, the baggage AR feature in the app will continue to improve, moving you closer to guaranteed results, and eliminating any doubt about your carry-on luggage – so that you can relax, enjoy your flight, and bask in the glow of your traveling adventures as you head towards your next destination.
With millions of travelers downloading the app and over 10,000 active users, KLM looks to place the needs of their customers first by continuing to be pioneers of innovation to make sure that they meet the goals of their passengers’ best interest.
Image Credit: KLM Airlines
