It may sound like a far-fetched pitch from Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, but Emirates is seriously considering skipping windows on future aircraft orders.
Emirates’ sleek new first class cabins onboard select 777-300s feature virtual windows in the center compartments (see picture above). HD fiber optics cameras project outside images, but the windows are not real.
Sir Tim Clark, Emirates’ Chief, heralds this technology as “so good, it’s better than with the natural eye”. Speaking to the BBC, he invited passengers to think beyond conventional windows.
Imagine now a fuselage as you’re boarding with no windows, but when you get inside, there are windows.
The benefit? A more aerodynamic aircraft, which results in fuel savings:
Now you have one fuselage which has no structural weaknesses because of windows. The aircraft are lighter, the aircraft could fly faster, they’ll burn far less fuel and fly higher.
It’s all starting to make sense…
Would You Fly in An Aircraft Without Windows?
For me, yes…without a doubt. I’m not a claustrophobic type and note the projects Emirates is talking about are so life-like, I’d wager that many passengers would have no idea they were fake.
But technology isn’t perfect. What if flickers or suddenly goes out? What about for passengers who truly are claustrophobic or succumb to motion sickness?
And how about safety? Flight attendants must look out the windows in case of emergency. Would only the exit doors be equipped with real windows?
CONCLUSION
There’s still a lot of questions, but I personally don’t see why such technology would be problematic. What do you think?
image: Emirates
Each to his own, but the reduction of windows will stop me from flying Emirates. When looking out, you can’t angle your line of vision and will miss out on some key views. For example, sunset photos out of Emirates’ 777 first class middle seats have been considerably not up to the level of real windows. If they can find a way to save costs and hugely reduce the cost of flying, sure I’ll live with the lack of windows. But if they’re investing millions of dollars into virtual window technology that will never live up to the real thing, then I’d rather not.
Just my two cents. 🙂
Do we not have to raise the window blinds during takeoff/landing so that emergency personnel can see inside in case of a crash landing? I’m guessing this is based on a safety regulation so can’t see how a windowless plane would comply with that.
it is not a safety regulation in the USA. I’ve flown hundreds of times on US carriers and nobody has ever made me pull my shades up during takeoff and landing. In other countries? They dont even let you put things under the seat in front of u in exit rows! haha
Those virtual windows will never be a substitute for an actual real window. Nothing can replace the real thing and what you can see with your own eyes out a real window. I have and will always sit at a real window seat on a plane, whether I’m in first class or economy in a 3-4-3 configuration. Being able to see the world from above is something amazing and if its replaced with a camera then its really no better than seeing pictures or a video on your computer at home.
No thanks……and if there is a glitch or non-working computer image you’re basically sitting in a blackened out metal tube. Who thinks of these idiotic things ???
You forgot to mention the biggest benefit- no one can get sucked out of a window if there aren’t any!
Remember years ago, NASA had to put a window in the Mercury capsules for the psychological well being of the astronauts.
From a safety perspective, I wouldn’t be comfortable without windows. If the plane’s on fire, I want to know where.
As someone who lives carbon-neutral, including the purchase of enough renewable energy credits easily to offset flying more than 150,000 miles per year (http://cotap.org is my favorite) but who also greatly prefers the window seat for the spectacle of sharing space with our avian friends, I have mixed feelings. However, Sir Tim implies a great improvement in fuel efficiency. If, in fact, this constituted a marked reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels, I gladly would glare at the electronic version of the outside view (but still purchase renewable energy credits at the old rate because I like to do my part).
Ridiculous idea. Who would want to spend 17 hours without a window. Also if virtual windows don’t work, will a plane be grounded on safety reasons?
Virtual windows can never match the real thing and Clark is on drugs if he believes they can. You’d need better than 4K resolution to even be admitted into the ballpark but all the resolution in the world will never be able to overcome a basic fact:
Camera viewing angles can never match looking out a real window.
Never.