The terminal 2 (T2) of the recently inaugurated revamped Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) at Bengaluru, India become the first terminal in the world that can be experienced on the metaverse, the airport said in a statement. The metaverse is built in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Polygon and offers an immersive, three-dimensional (3D) virtual experience at BLR Airport.
"Interested travellers and the public can log on to www.Blrmetaport.Com and virtually tour and navigate the new state-of-the-art terminal, using their smart devices. The BLR Metaport is an outcome of the Joint Innovation Centre (JIC), announced in April 2022 by BIAL, AWS, and Intel. The JIC focuses on driving the development and adoption of digital solutions in aviation."
The Joint Innovation Centre aims to leverage emerging technologies to build new business models and passenger experiences and be at the forefront of technology innovation in India's commercial aviation," the statement added.
Meanwhile, the airport authorities claim that the BLR Metaport will deliver an enhanced digital experience for travellers with a 3D interface offering customers new ways to interact with the airport, such as checking into flights, navigating terminals, shopping, and social aspects like connecting with other travellers.
Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy and Development Officer, BIAL said: “This is our first foray into the world of Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and we aim to delight travellers with a unique, immersive, and virtual experience.”
Going ahead, the terminal will commence commercial operations on December 29, 2022, with AirAsia and Air India being the first airlines to take off from the brand-new terminal.