Revolutionizing Air Travel: Premium Leisure Airline Beond Introduces Apple Vision Pro as In-Flight Entertainment

Premium leisure airline Beond, operating only business-class services, has announced plans to offer the Apple Vision Pro headset to select passengers on some of its flights. 

Revolutionizing the Traveler Journey

Beond is a Maldivian airline founded by Nilov and Tero Taskila and based in Malé, the capital of the Maldives. The carrier is a joint venture between the Emirati investment firm Arabesque and the hospitality company SIMDI Group. Beond aims to expand the Maldives' international connectivity by providing nonstop flights to destinations across Europe and Asia. 

Beond has established the following mission, according to its website:

"The first pure luxury airline that aims to provide you with an exceptional inflight experience that exceeds your expectations and caters to your needs and preferences." 

Beond will enhance its inflight experience by providing passengers with the Apple Vision Pro on its flights. The Apple Vision Pro's cutting-edge technology transforms the surroundings into a living digital movement by adding functions normally used on phones in front of the user's eyes. 

Apple describes the Apple Vision Pro as the following:

"Apple Vision Pro is a spatial computer that blends digital content and apps into your physical space, and lets you navigate using your eyes, hands, and voice." 

Many people are experiencing the product and sharing their views with their audiences. A Microsoft executive, Omar Shahine, documented his experience of the headset during a plane journey in Emirates Business Class on flights from Seattle (SEA) to Hyderabad (HYD). 

Beond aims to transform the passenger experience since the virtual reality (VR) headset will include the airline's content and captivating experiences showcasing the best features of the Maldives to build anticipation for passengers' trips. Since Apple Vision Pro cuts its functions when the user reaches a high speed, users must select the "Travel Mode" option to use the VR headset on a flight.

Tero Taskila, Beond's CEO, said: 

"We are working now with partners in the Maldives to prepare truly amazing footage. The inflight experience will build anticipation for passengers before they arrive in the Maldives."

According to Taskila, the Apple Vision Pro will effectively alter the passenger experience by considering the in-flight entertainment (IFE) experience provided to the passengers onboard Beond's aircraft. Beond would be the world's first airline to provide VR headsets to its customers.

Fleet and Routes

Beond currently offers nonstop flights from Velana International Airport (MLE) in Malé to Riyadh (RUH), Munich (MUC), and Zurich (ZRH). The airline plans to launch flights to Milan-Malpensa (MXP) and Bangkok-Don Mueang (DMK) on July 3 and 7, respectively. Beond's European routes make a refueling stop at Dubai-Al Maktoum (DWC) due to the large distance between the Maldives and Europe. 

Beond initiated operations in October 2023, with its first flight from Munich to Malé in November. The carrier's services started with a single Airbus A319ceo with 44 business class seats. Beond's second aircraft, an Airbus A321 with 68 business class seats, will be delivered in March. The A321 will enable the airline to expand its network, and more passengers can use the Apple Vision Pro as in-flight entertainment on Beond.