Meta Calls Aviation to Action with Immersive Technologies at FTE EMEA 2025
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A landmark keynote at APEX FTE EMEA 2025 in Dublin revealed how immersive technology and artificial intelligence have moved from experimental to aviation-ready tools. Delegates witnessed a defining moment as Meta urged the industry to accelerate transformation through extended reality and digital content ecosystems.
Meta Head of XR in Travel Bastian Schütz showcased how airlines already use these technologies to increase training efficiency, reimagine in-flight entertainment, and create deeper passenger engagement. “We’re not just talking about the future,” said Schütz. “We’re building it together, and many of you in this room are already part of it.”
Large-Scale Investment Fuels Real-World Innovation
Meta’s aviation presence continues to expand in 2025, beginning with its high-profile showcase at FTE EMEA, where the company encouraged the airline industry to embrace immersive spatial computing and generative AI. Meta, an exhibitor at this year’s FTE Global, positioned these technologies as pivotal tools for modernizing passenger engagement and training.
Ambition at Meta goes far beyond research. The company invested more than $40 billion into development in 2024, with over $60 billion allocated for 2025 – “2.5 times the budget of NASA in 2024/2025,” Schütz emphasized. That scale will support more than internal advances, with Schütz explaining it builds the infrastructure that allows partners across sectors, including aviation, to access Meta’s immersive platforms.
“Meta is a little bit like the new kid on the block, with many people actually asking us, ‘what is your role at the airline space?’ And for us, it’s straightforward. We want to enable all of you – airlines, airline partners, technology providers – with the new technology to really advance each passenger’s journey. And […] that means building solutions that really create immediate return on investment,” he explained.
XR Enhances Crew Training and Cuts Costs
Workforce development has emerged as one of the clearest use cases for extended reality (XR) in aviation. In a large-scale example, Meta partner Accenture distributed more than 50,000 units internally.
Meta currently works directly with AVIAR Labs, a developer building XR training specifically for airport operations. Companies including Swissport and DHL use these tools for ramp safety and baggage procedures. “VR training improves knowledge retention by up to 85%,” said Schütz. “It reduces time-to-competence by 25% and helps staff build operational confidence four times faster.”
Elsewhere, aviation marketing teams now use immersive models instead of physical mockups to showcase new products. Lufthansa Group collaborated with MSM.digital and Meta to create digital twins of its latest cabin interiors. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and SWISS display these experiences at events using lightweight headsets. According to Schütz, this shift reduced Lufthansa Group’s exhibition costs by 90 percent.
“We want to enable all of you – airlines, airline partners, technology providers – with the new technology to really advance each passenger’s journey.”
In-Flight Entertainment Gains a Third Dimension
Passenger-facing applications continue to evolve rapidly. In 2024, Meta partnered with Lufthansa to test in-flight XR across long-haul routes. Over 4,000 passengers received Quest headsets, loaded with immersive content that operated independently of in-flight connectivity. Travelers accessed media through a mixed reality interface that preserved awareness of the physical cabin.
“The response exceeded expectations,” said Schütz. “Lufthansa recorded a measurable increase in its Net Promoter Score, and passengers expressed strong interest in more immersive content.”
Schütz also referenced a LinkedIn post highlighting Air France’s new VR Lab, which uses Quest 3 headsets and is aiming to “elevate the customer experience” with the technology.
Furthermore, he shared that Meta now works on integrating XR into existing in-flight entertainment systems. “I’m also very excited to share that we now partner with some of the leading IFE and service providers to integrate Quest headsets into the in-flight server, and that has a huge advantage for airlines on the managed service side. So as an airline, you can offer headsets as part of your in-flight entertainment offering,” he revealed.
Schutz suggested the platform opens up new commercial opportunities that expand beyond the seatback screen: “You can engage passengers and provide unique content, enhancing the in-flight shopping experience via virtual tryouts, and offer branded experiences that you won’t be able to to offer on a 2D screen.”
Carriers can Engage Directly with XR Users
Many Travelers now actually carry their own XR gear, so Meta enables a bring-your-own-device strategy that delivers airline-curated experiences to passengers through existing consumer headsets. “You don’t need to guess what people want anymore,” said Schütz. “They bring it with them. Airlines can now meet passengers inside their own ecosystems.”
Meta collaborates with third-party developers who design in-flight-ready content. Meditation sessions, wellness routines, and travel-focused games already appear in headset marketplaces. Airlines can either license curated packages or commission branded experiences, tailoring content to align with specific passenger segments or cabin classes.
“Extended reality is not a side experiment. It’s becoming the most intuitive way to connect. The companies who lead this shift will shape the next generation of passenger journeys.”
Orion Glasses Hint at a Post-Smartphone Travel Future
Next-generation wearable computing took the spotlight as Schütz detailed Orion, Meta’s prototype for augmented reality glasses launched last September. The lightweight frames include embedded displays, environmental sensors, and contextual AI designed to respond in real time.
“These glasses feel like normal eyewear,” said Schütz. “But they unlock a completely new kind of computing, one where you’re always present, always connected and always in control.”
Schütz believes AR glasses such as Orion in the future could support airport navigation, gate change alerts, and destination recommendations as layered visuals over the real world. In the air, the glasses might serve as portable cinema screens or productivity tools, allowing passengers to work from a virtual desktop environment during flight.
Although still in early development, Orion represents the direction of travel for computing interfaces. He continued on to say that aviation stands among the industries best positioned to test and scale these tools due to its structured environments and digitally active customer base.
Momentum Grows Across Airline and Airport Partners
Skepticism about slow-moving aviation innovation surfaced briefly during the session, but Schütz countered with clear evidence of change already underway: carriers, airports, and suppliers have launched pilot programs and invested in content partnerships at record pace.
“The pace of transformation in this room proves that narrative wrong,” said Schütz. “We’ve seen airlines and airports drive some of the boldest pilots we’ve ever launched.”
Meta engages partners through co-development rather than one-size-fits-all delivery. He explained that every XR project aligns with business cases that demonstrate value in real terms, whether through operational efficiency, reduced capital expenditure, or stronger customer loyalty.
Aviation Shapes the Future by Building It Now
The final message carried both urgency and encouragement. Rather than wait for emerging technologies to mature, Schütz compelled aviation leaders to help shape how immersive platforms evolve across the passenger journey.
Airlines, airports, and suppliers already engaging in XR are setting benchmarks for others to follow. As passenger expectations shift and technology adoption accelerates, those who build today will define tomorrow’s standard.
“Extended reality is not a side experiment,” said Schütz. “It’s becoming the most intuitive way to connect. The companies who lead this shift will shape the next generation of passenger journeys.”
Following the momentum at FTE EMEA, Meta will also be featured at FTE Global, where the company plans to further showcase its immersive technologies to a broader international audience. In addition to its continued flagship positioning at Future Travel Experience, Meta aims to deepen its collaboration with airline passenger experience leaders across airline leaders at APEX Global EXPO.
For more content from APEX FTE EMEA 2025, click here.