Giving customers the opportunity to learn a few words of Korean or Portuguese while en route to Seoul or São Paulo, Air France introduced in-flight language instruction on selected flights this month. An interactive audiovisual language program developed by Berlitz, the service works on regular in-flight entertainment screens. Passengers can learn and practice the basics of 23 different languages, in four main lesson categories: numbers, dates, words and dialogue.
JAL and Singapore Airlines also offer Berlitz Word Traveller as part of their in-flight entertainment package, and Virgin Atlantic has experimented with Japanese and Spanish lessons. It's a great example of trendwatching.com's status skills trend. As many consumers are demonstrating a value shift in status from passive consumption to mastering skills, smart companies are offering their customers the opportunity to add to their skill set. Similar initiatives include BMW's Performance Driving Schools, the Sony Digital University or the Viking Cooking School. Watch and learn!
Websites: www.airfrance.com - www.jal.com - www.singaporeair.com - www.virginatlantic.com
Spotted by: Sophie Schmitt
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This is not a new business idea. Many airlines offer language lessons since a few years in their business classes.
This is great & all, but one of the downsides are when someone is constantly poking the back of your head when you are trying to sleep (!!)
I have discussed this idea in 2006 with the product strategy director of Air France/KLM and afterwards also contacted Virgin. Check out my site for more upcoming (ripped) ideas: www.idhd.nl and click on 'producties'. Suggestions on how to protect concepts while discussing them are more then welcome....
Robert | April 18, 2007 4:55 PM