United Airlines highlights Bluetooth enabled planes

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

United Airlines is highlighting the benefits of its Bluetooth-enabled planes, with a focus on new features for AirPods Pro users that enhance passenger and crew connectivity.

The airline is actively rolling out Bluetooth connectivity on its planes, with over 100 aircraft already equipped and plans to have approximately 800 aircraft equipped by 2032. This move is part of United Next, the airline’s initiative to modernize and expand its fleet.

Travelers using AirPods Pro can now take advantage of innovative features such as Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio. Conversation Awareness lowers audio volume when the user begins speaking, facilitating communication with flight attendants when ordering food and drinks. Adaptive Audio is a listening mode that dynamically blends Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation, adjusting noise control based on the passenger’s environment.

United’s Chief Information Officer, Jason Birnbaum, explained that the combination of wireless connectivity, Conversation Awareness, and Adaptive Audio enhances the passenger experience and simplifies interactions between the crew and passengers.

To pair Bluetooth headphones onboard United’s planes, passengers can select the Bluetooth icon from the seatback screen’s toolbar, toggle Bluetooth on, ensure headphones are disconnected from other devices, place the headphones in pairing mode, and select the device from the list of available devices.

United’s commitment to enhancing the passenger experience includes deploying Apple products, offering in-flight Wi-Fi, and adding customer amenities on new and retrofit planes. These innovations are aligned with the airline’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by reducing carbon emissions without relying on traditional offsets. The adoption of more fuel-efficient planes like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A321neo contributes to lower emissions and more eco-friendly air travel.

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