Exploring the future

Enter the "Virtual Flight Lab," a VR experience that took visitors on a sneak peek into the future of flying, blending the airline’s rich history with a bold, forward-looking vision. We created an experience for 12 participants to explore a futuristic Air New Zealand aircraft—all at once, all in VR. Using Oculus Rift technology (a big deal back then!), we turned a simple cabin prototype into a fully synchronised virtual adventure.

This three-minute journey started with a virtual flight attendant and quickly moved into a world of advanced aircraft designs, next-gen in-flight entertainment, and the future of social connectivity—all set within a constantly evolving digital landscape.

This was more than just a VR demo—it was a leap in experiential design, combining spatial, graphic, and sound design with next-level engineering. One of the first to use Oculus Rift for a large-scale public experience, the Virtual Flight Lab was interactive, engaging, and, most importantly, felt real. Visitors were reaching out, grabbing, and swiping at virtual objects as if they were right there!

The Virtual Flight Lab was a smash hit, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors at Te Papa and later touring New Zealand and the USA, engaging over half a million people. It won several awards, proving our trailblazing spirit in the VR world and our knack for crafting unforgettable experiences.