Qatar Airways Says 'The Metaverse Will Empower Humanity'

Qatar Airways announced Tuesday that it has launched its first metaverse experience - QVerse. The virtual reality platform enables interested parties to virtually visit and navigate the advanced check-in area at Hamad International Airport (HIA).

However, according to the company’s statement to Cointelegraph, the QVerse is only the company’s first foray into the Metaverse. The company says it intends to expand its virtual environment initiatives and sees the metaverse as part of the future of human relationships.

"We believe that the future is virtual. The Metaverse will empower humans, expand their horizons, and push their limits by challenging the most fundamental ways that were once limitations."

According to the company, the company's entry into the Metaverse reflects its passengers' desire for "immersive content that allows them to make decisions before purchasing a ticket."

"That's why we believe QVerse will change the way passengers shop," a company representative said.

The company also highlighted that they plan to add more features, places, and interactions to their Metaverse platform, and aim to make the experience more social and accessible through the Oculus Quest VR platform.

It also intends to add the ability to buy physical flight tickets and select seats through Metaverse. The company noted that metaverse gateway initiatives such as Decentraland and The Sandbox are likely to emerge in the future.

“We are currently focused on creating our metaverse, rather than investing in Decentraland or The Sandbox. But we do not rule out this plan. We will continue to explore how to develop this area and strategically integrate NFT into QVerse.”

Last year, Qatar Airways partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to become the first airline in the Middle East to adopt an IATA blockchain "digital passport." Recently, the U.S. Air Force also announced its foray into the metaverse, filing a trademark application for an initiative called SpaceVerse. While details about the application and exactly what SpaceVerse will be are unclear, the application emphasizes that it will be used for virtual reality training, testing and operating environments.