flying cloud vs safari

Written by Johnathan R. Smith • November 28, 2021 • 10:14 pm • Uncategorized

A Complete Guide to the Airstream Flying Cloud: Price, Specs, and Review

The Flying Cloud is one of the most popular travel trailers they have produced throughout the years because it is so adaptable and family-friendly. The fact that there are more floor plans available than any other model ensures that there is a “just perfect” for everyone. In addition, the light and airy design allow you to easily transition from one excursion to the next while maintaining your sense of comfort in the process.

Introduction to Airstream Flying Cloud

With a long history and a well-known name in the automobile business, Airstream is an established manufacturer. Founded in 1936, Airstream is now celebrating its 100th anniversary. Airstream has built a name for itself as a manufacturer known for its cutting-edge style and high-quality materials. Travel trailers manufactured by this firm are noted for their durability as well as their high quality, which is a reflection of the company’s significant knowledge and experience.

Designed to be used by numerous generations of a family, the trailers have been built by the firm and are still in use today, according to the company. The firm designed its products to be safe and simple to tow or drive, while also providing the comforts of home while maintaining a timeless, modern design aesthetic.

Although the Airstream brand is more expensive than identical trailers from other firms, the quality makes the premium price worthwhile. As Airstream states out, all of its trailers are hand-crafted in Jackson Center, Ohio, using ecologically friendly materials and techniques.

The Airstream Flying Cloud is an excellent option for those searching for a spacious home away from home. This ultimate travel trailer is highly recommended as it offers a fantastic experience backed up by a highly reputable company.

If you are looking for a travel trailer that can accommodate a broad variety of family sizes, the Flying Cloud is the best option. The Flying Cloud has an aluminum exterior, plexiglass window protectors, and high-quality inside woodwork, among other characteristics, making it one of Airstream’s best models. Included in the trailer’s purchasing price are a kitchen and a lot of storage space. Everything you’d expect from home is here, including a gas stove with an exhaust vent.

The Flying Cloud is available in five different lengths and 13 different floor plans, with lengths ranging from 23 to 30 feet. The Airstream Flying Cloud is known for its versatility as it is able to adapt and function to many different activities.

There are way too many RVs out there to count. yet, the Airstream Flying Cloud has earned and deserved its label “iconic”, not only that the flying cloud has earned it, but also the other Airstream Trave Trailers that have ever existed.

Since its introduction in 1949, the Flying Cloud has undergone several modifications, but it has remained a popular choice for families and couples, according to Justin Humphreys, Airstream’s vice president of sales. “This new unit adds a minor modification to an already fantastic floor layout, but it completely modifies the way you may utilize your Airstream campervan or trailer”.

It provides you with even greater freedom to spend time outside, with family, and to remain connected to your work environment. It’s the fulfillment of an Airstream fantasy. Newly introduced Carolina Clay (beige) and Seattle Mist (dark gray) faux-leather upholstery options are now available for Flying Cloud models. Corian worktops and a variety of new flooring alternatives have been installed, in addition to new bedding, pillows, and curtain fabrics.

Other enhancements include increased availability of the unique rear hatch door, which allows for al fresco eating or just another point of entry for vacationing families when the trailer is parked at the rear of the property.

The Flying Cloud is the centerpiece of the luxury travel trailer manufacturer’s inventory, and it is available in a variety of floor layouts to provide consumers the ability to customize their trailers to meet their specific requirements.

Will the Airstream Flying Cloud be worth all the cost?

Because of COVID-19, the majority of the world has just been working from home for the majority of the past year, and it doesn’t appear that this will change anytime soon since people are still adapting to the new change that we are all facing. For many individuals, this is a blessing; yet, for others, it is a struggle to locate a quiet spot in their home that is devoid of distractions. Airstream offers a solution for this latter group, and that answer is in the form of a trailer.

However, this isn’t your typical vacation trailer. Instead, it has been completely redesigned to serve as the ultimate mobile office environment. In order to do this, Airstream used their Flying Cloud 30FB corner bed model and swapped out the bunk with a functionally sized workstation. Next to the desk is a built-in seat that would be excellent for reading in the afternoons. Another example of the Airstream Flying Cloud is one of the most versatile Travel Trailers available on the market today is its ability to convert into an office space.

Given that it’s still an Airstream, expect a queen bed, a fully equipped kitchen, a beautiful bathroom, and lots of additional sitting. This trailer, like several other recent Airstreams, is also technologically advanced. It comes with a slew of USB connections scattered throughout, as well as a 1,000-watt power converter. There are also overhead cabinets with dry-erase surfaces, as well as a genuine office chair that can be fastened with a strap while in transport.

This Travel Trailer is more than just a sliver of room with a few outlets; it’s a dedicated compartment with a full-sized workstation with drawers and a pull-out table in case you need additional space. Sure, it’s certainly not as spacious as your workplace desk, but it’s still equipped with everything you require. When it comes to communication, the Airstream Connected Service from the manufacturer provides mobile internet access, and an optional roof-mounted antenna is also available.

Simply hanging up the phone or closing your laptop and opening your door to adventure is now possible thanks to this seamless transition that Airstream has incorporated into the Flying Cloud. Take advantage of your break by going on a trek. Pack up the kayaks and continue downstream, knowing that you’ll be able to virtually reunite with the rest of your squad when you return to your campground later on.

What could possibly go wrong with the Airstream Flying Cloud, you might wonder? It has everything you could possibly need in a travel trailer. An Airstream is a great place for families to learn, laugh, and grow together while on a road trip. Airstreams allow for many pauses, avoiding flying meltdowns and making travel pleasurable.

There’s an instant outdoor playground wherever you park since there’s enough spacing between sleeping areas to give adults some solitude while keeping kids near enough to prevent them from getting into mischief. With a lot of space, the Flying Cloud can carry a lifetime’s worth of memories and experiences, most notably.

So, to conclude, buying the Airstream Flying Cloud can be one of the best decisions and investments that you could possibly have. It’s the memories that matter the most with this travel trailer and it will surely bring out the best of those with it.

The Sleeping Space of each Airstream Flying Cloud

Will you require sleeping accommodations for two or more people? Will you want to recline at the table or on a sofa? Decades of having to listen to Airstreamers on the road have assisted the Company in developing responses to a wide range of preferences. The Flying Cloud has the most floor layouts of any model.

Flying Cloud 23FB – can sleep up to 4 people

Flying Cloud 25FB, 25FB Twin, 25RB, 25RB Twin, 27FB, 27FB Twin, 28RB, 28RB Twin, 30FB Office, 30RB, and 30RB Twin – can sleep up to 6 people

Flying Cloud 30FB Bunk – can sleep up to 8 people

Flying Cloud 23FB

With deliberate features to help you optimize your travel experiences, the Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB Travel Trailer is a carefully built trailer with intentional features to help you maximize your travel experiences. The Flying Cloud 23FB is a feature-packed travel trailer that can accommodate families of all sizes and is made to provide comfort at any time and location. It is a blank canvas that is ready to be enjoyed and painted with a personal touch

Flying Cloud 25FB & 25FB Twin

The Double Axle Travel Trailer with Trademark Design in a Trendy, and Ultra-Practical Design. This model instills a sense of adventure and develops individuality. The Flying Cloud model excels more than any other model and it provides a variety of neutral color palettes to pick from, the Flying Cloud provides excellent versatility, allowing you to choose the ideal setup and then accessorize it to suit your own tastes.

Flying Cloud 25RB & 25RB Twin

Each Airstream travel trailer, from the 25RB Flying Cloud with a rear queen bed to the 25RB Twin with rear twin beds, is manufactured with the same level of craftsmanship and unparalleled durability that has been made Airstream a household name for more than a hundred years.

Flying Cloud 27FB & 27FB Twin

To the 27FB the is an Optional Front Bunk offered to its customers. In addition to the master queen bed, the optional front bunk gives additional sleeping space. With the ability to sustain up to 150 lbs. of weight, the bunk also serves as an excellent place for extra storage.

Flying Cloud 28RB & 28RB Twin

There are no modifications for the sake of making changes in today’s Airstream travel trailers, but rather ongoing development. For more than 80 years, Airstream has been a leader in the RV business when it comes to introducing cutting-edge features like refrigerators, bathrooms with screen doors and showers, and other conveniences that have helped travelers live better on the road.

Flying Cloud 30FB Bunk

The Flying Cloud’s bunk model appears to comfortably accommodate six people. Most Airstreams cater to couples, so this is out of character. With a double bed below and a single bed above, we have an excellent bunk room in the back of the house. The bathroom is just a few feet away from this area, and it features a spacious counter and plenty of storage space.

The shower curtain is retractable. The front bedroom of this trailer has a walk-around bed, nightstands, and a hanging closet for storage. The finished cabinets are hung and illuminated above the bed to serve as the room’s main point. Because of their focus on design, Airstream stands out. In fact, consumers may choose from a variety of floor designs for each type of Airstream, allowing them to discover the precise inside they desire.

Flying Cloud 30FB Office

This 30FB is an office-oriented layout of Airstream’s already successful Flying Cloud camper series, which is available in a number of different sizes that make it a family-friendly travel trailer. Airstream, on the other hand, has incorporated a slew of features to make working while on the road even more convenient. Each worker will have a separate desk area, a comfortable-looking office chair, USB outlets strategically placed around the space to make charging simpler, overhead storage, and a privacy barrier to allow for more than one person to work in relative quiet.

The 30FB comes with Airstream Connected, which is essentially a data plan that will allow you to stay connected everywhere you go, no matter where you are. Solar panels, as well as the Airstream Power Plus, a power pack that has just been upgraded with a new inverter and lithium-ion batteries, are also available as alternatives.

Flying Cloud 30RB & 30RB Twin

Airstream Travel Trailers are meticulously planned and manufactured to spark an adventure by providing all of the comforts, technologies, and conveniences that make any location seem like a home away from home. Their ever-growing community is delighted to share their thoughts on what genuine Airstreamers want, expect, and enjoy, and this information helps them design travel trailers with floor layouts that are appealing to a wide range of campers and travelers throughout the world.

Specifications

A Silver Lining on every Airstream Flying Cloud. Yes, there is a silver lining, literally. Aluminized panels are used to cover nearly every internal wall surface, giving the living area a sleek and stylish appearance. The stainless steel appliances and sinks, as well as the aluminum trim around the lights, provide the ideal blend of silver and sophistication. It’s important to have the same sensation on the interior of an iconic Airstream as you have on the exterior when you adore the look of the vehicle.

Quietstream Climate Control

A journey may be made or broken by the quality of the air conditioning and heating. As a result, its Quietstream ducted climate control technology effortlessly and swiftly cools the cabin while remaining relatively silent. It also has a heat pump that uses ambient air heat to give warmth to the travel trailer rather than using the furnace — and without producing moisture. And, if you really do need to heat up, the onboard furnace is also available for cold-weather excursions.

Ultraleather Furnishings

Every design decision made at Airstream is done so for a specific purpose. In fact, there are several reasons why they chose Ultraleather for their travel trailer furnishings. It’s wonderfully supple and soft, yet it’s also strong and long-lasting thanks to the inclusion of specific strengthening elements. It is resistant to temperature changes and will never fracture when exposed to extreme cold. And because it’s simple to wash, pet-friendly, and won’t damage or stain, your furniture will look just as good on day one as it will years later.

A Kitchen That You’ll Definitely Want To Use

A Furrion three-burner gas stove, a Baraldi cooking vent, and a built-in microwave are just some of the high-end appliances that make cooking enjoyable and simple. Keeping things looking beautiful in the galley before, during, and after a meal is made easy by clean lines in the cabinets and a neutral countertop with a contemporary Delta® faucet. Lower cabinets for all of your pots and pans, upper lockers for groceries and dishes, and even pull-out pantries for convenient access are all available.

Optimal Utilization of Available Space

The seating area provided by our dinettes and couches allows you to relax and entertain when you want it, and then quickly transform into comfortable sleeping quarters when you require it. The process of converting a dinette into a sleeping place is straightforward: tables serve as bases, and cushions double as beds, making it ideal for accommodating the needs of children or friends and family. It is not only dinettes that provide more space. Our long lounges and reclining couches provide excellent sleeping quarters as well as entertaining areas. There’s enough room for everyone to establish their own little haven.

Mattresses using Memory Foam

Each bed is equipped with a pillow top memory foam mattress, ensuring a restful night’s sleep in between excursions.

Handcrafted Cabinetry

Each cabinet is constructed of high-quality components that will withstand the test of time while maintaining your trailer light in working order.

Overhead Storage

Meals, gear, bedding, and silverware may all be stored in the overhead storage compartments, which are placed throughout the whole cabin.

Accessible Counter Space

With the cooktop and sink at your disposal, you’ll have plenty of room to work your culinary magic. And when they’re not in use, they each have coverings that can be used to generate more countertop space.

Awnings that can be retracted

The ZipDee Patio Awning with Sunbrella fabric, which is both sturdy and elegant, is guaranteed to be one of the features that you utilize the most.

Tech and entertainment are intertwined.

With the LG HD TV, you may watch movies online or utilize the Blu-Ray player. The JL stereo system, which includes Bluetooth, surround sound, and a subwoofer, allows you to enjoy awesome music.

Other Optional Features may include:

• Quietstream A/C with Heat Pump & Electronic Thermostat
• Fantastic Fan with Thermostat & Automatic Rain Sensor
• Probeless Tank Monitoring System
• EcoBatt Insulation
• Under Bed Storage
• Handcrafted Aluminum Screen Door with Guards
• Panoramic Front Windows with Blackout Shades
• Handcrafted Italian Lite-Ply Laminated Cabinetry
• LP (2 – 30 lb. Steel Tanks) with Auto 2-stage Regulator
• Seamless Vinyl Flooring
• LED Interior Lighting with Dimmer, Dimmable Patio Awning Light, Entrance Light, Storage Compartment Light, and Tank Service Light
• Overhead Storage with Heavy Duty Hinges
• Electric/LP Water Heater (6 gal.; 9 gal. production)
• Unique Front Door Key with Heavy Duty Deadbolt
• 1000W Pure Sine Inverter
• Coat & Key Hooks

Cost of an Airstream Flying Cloud

The Flying Cloud is available in five lengths and 13 floorplans, unlike other models this provides more floor plans, with lengths ranging from 23 to 30 feet long and prices ranging from $89,900 to $119,500, to begin with. It has the capacity to accommodate up to eight people, depending on the layout. With a queen-size bed in the front, a full bathroom with a shower in the back, and the ability to sleep four people if you convert the dining table and banquette into a tiny bed, our 23FB test unit was the smallest and least priced model available.

Pros and Cons of an Airstream Flying Cloud

The Flying Cloud is by far one of the most popular and most versatile that the Airstream has released. It comes with lots of different lengths and features that will surely fit the customers’ needs which makes it more adaptable to their very own environment.

If you are looking for a large family type of travel trailer the Airstream offers the 30RB Bunk that can accommodate up to 8 people. The more people that you can travel along with, the better and happier the experience will be.

Most of us are working in our own homes due to the pandemic that we are currently experiencing. And we can not deny that it will probably take a bit more longer for all of us to return back to normal and take a break from everything. However, the Airstream Travel Trailers has the solution to de-stress and recharge. They now offer the 30RB Office that will be able to provide you with the best work environment while traveling. As the Flying Cloud brings the best comfort, timeless and airy design.

You can never go wrong with airstream especially with the flying cloud. But, you also cannot deny that Airstream can be very pricey and go a little bit over the budget. Although, with the features that it comes with, they can be somehow worth all the cost.

They should be highly maintained, owning an airstream requires a lot of care. This is for the reason that they have a high-quality build, it would cost more than the repair on average trailers. It is still better to prevent it from damaging in the long run.

Q. How long is an Airstream Flying Cloud?

A. The Flying Cloud is available in five lengths and thirteen floorplans, which, in comparison to previous models, allows a greater variety of floor layouts. The lengths range from 23 to 30 feet in length.

Q. How much does an Airstream Flying cloud cost?

A. The Price of an Airstream could cost from $89,900 to $119,500 depending on the floor plans and lengths

About the Author / Johnathan R. Smith

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Evolution of the Airstream Bambi Travel Trailer

1998 - 2018.

Bambi is a name applied to all new single-axle Airstream travel trailers , including the Sport, Flying Cloud, and International Series. Their easy-to-tow size, versatility, and style have won the hearts of Airstreams for over 50 years. Colonial Airstream is one of the few Airstream dealers who is fluent in the entire Airstream history.

16' & 16J Bambi Models

16′ Sport Bambi

Starting for the 2011 model year all single axle trailers will bear the Bambi Badge

16′ International Serenity Series

Mid 2010 model year introduction, replaces Ocean Breeze Edition

16′ International Ocean Breeze Bambi

Inspired by the Success of the Quiksilver Edition Bambi

16′ International Signature Series

Overhaul from previous CCD model, now featuring a more sophisticated modern design

16′ International DWR Bambi

Only 12 Produced for 2009

16′ International CCD Bambi – Quiksilver Edition

100 Produced

16′ Safari Bambi

Very limited production run

16′ International CCD Bambi

Rear panoramic window& awning introduced, mid 2004 production

16′ Bambi

Roughly 24 units total produced

19' & 19C Bambi Models

19′ Tommy Bahama 

Special Edition Bambi Trailer

19′ Victorinox 125th Anniversary Edition Bambi

Less than 50 of the 125 projected units were built

19′ Flying Cloud Bambi

Replaces Safari SE, Similar style with new interior laminates, flooring & feature level

19′ International Serenity Series

19′ International Ocean Breeze Bambi

Features full window awning package

19′ International Signature Series Bambi

Introduced late in 2007 model year production

19′ Safari SE Bambi

Previous LS upgrade package, now standard

19′ 75th Anniversary Edition Bambi

75 Commemorative units produced – Designed by David Winick

19′ Safari Bambi – SE Upgrade Package

LS Upgrade package available

19′ International CCD Bambi

Fortune Magazine – The 25 BEST PRODUCTS of the Year, 2004

19′ Safari Bambi

19′ Bambi

Introduced as entry level, light weight travel trailer

20C Bambi Models

20′ Flying Cloud Bambi

Starting for the 2011 model year all single axle trailers are part of the Bambi family

22FB Bambi Models

22′ Sport Bambi

Looking for an Airstream Bambi Travel Trailer?

How United Airlines uses AI to make flying the friendly skies a bit easier

From chatbots to pilot announcements, ai is starting to gain traction.

When you board a United Airlines plane, the gate agents, flight attendants and others involved in making sure your plane leaves on time are in a chatroom coordinating a lot of the work that you, as a passenger, will hopefully never notice. Is there still space for carry-on bags? Did the caterer bring the missing orange juice? Is there a way to seat a family together?

When a flight is delayed, a message with an explanation will arrive by text and in the United app. Most of the time, that message is generated by AI. Meanwhile, in offices around the world, dispatchers are looking at this real-time data to ensure that the crew can still legally fly the plane without running afoul of FAA regulations. And only a few weeks ago, United turned on its AI customer service chatbot.

Jason Birnbaum, who became United’s CIO in 2022, manages a team of over 1,500 employees and about 2,000 contractors who are responsible for all of the tech that makes this happen.

“What I love about our business is also what you hate about the business,” he told me in a recent interview. “I was at GE for many years in the appliance business; we could go down for a day, I don’t think anyone would notice. They’d be: ‘All right, the dishwashers aren’t rolling off the line.’ But it wasn’t newsworthy. Now if something happens, even for 15 minutes, not only is it all over social media but the news trucks head out to the airport.”

Before joining United, Birnbaum spent 16 years at GE, moving up the ladder from technology manager to becoming the CIO of GE Consumer and Industrial, based in Budapest. In 2009, he became the CI of GE Healthcare Global Supply Chain. He joined United in 2015 as its SVP of Digital Technology, where he was responsible for launching projects like ConnectionSaver, one of United’s first AI/ML-based services that will proactively hold flights when fliers have tight connections (and that saved me from spending 12 hours at SFO last week).

I wanted to talk to Birnbaum about how he — and other CIOs at global enterprises — are thinking about the use of AI. That’s one area of innovation the airline is looking at. But before we could talk about AI, United is also still in the process of moving services into the cloud. If there’s one trend in cloud computing right now, it’s that everybody is trying to optimize their cloud infrastructure and spend less.

United Continental Airlines YR202 3490 (CAL) 737-800 BSI interior.  Image Credits:  United

“I’m starting to see these companies and startups that are, ‘How do you optimize your cloud, and how do you manage your cloud?’ There’s a lot of people focused on questions like, ‘You’ve got a lot of data, can I store it better for you?’ Or, ‘You’ve got a lot of new applications; can I help you monitor them better?’ Because all the tools you used to have don’t work anymore,” he said. Maybe the age of digital transformation is over, he said, and we’re now in the age of cloud optimization.

United itself has bet heavily on the cloud, specifically AWS as its preferred cloud provider . Unsurprisingly, United, too, is looking at how the company can optimize its cloud usage, from both a cost and reliability perspective. Like for so many companies that are going through this process, that also means looking at developer productivity and adding automation and DevOps practices into the mix. “We’re there. We have an established presence [in the cloud], but now we’re kind of in the market to try to continue to optimize as well,” Birnbaum said.

But that also comes back to reliability. Like all airlines, United still operates a lot of legacy systems — and they still work. “Frankly, we are extra careful as we move through this journey, to make sure we don’t disrupt the operation or create self-inflicted wounds,” he said.

United has already moved and turned off a lot of legacy systems, and that process is ongoing. Later this year, for example, the company will turn off a large Unisys-based system. But Birnbaum also thinks that United will continue to have on-prem systems. “I just want to be in the best places for the applications and for the user experience,” he said, whether that’s for performance, privacy or security reasons.

The one thing the company is not trying to build, though, is some kind of overarching United Platform that will run all of its systems. But there’s too much complexity in the day-to-day airline operations to do that, Birnbaum said. Some platforms manage reservations, ticketing and bag tracking, for example, while others handle crew assignments.

A worker in the United Airlines Station Operation Center at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey. Image Credits:  Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images

When something goes wrong, those systems have to work together and in near real time. That’s also why United is betting on one cloud provider. “I don’t imagine we’ll have one platform,” Birnbaum said. “I think we’re going to get really good at connecting things and getting applications to talk to each other.”

In practice, that means that today it’s possible for the team to see when the caterer got off the plane and who has checked in for the flight, for example. And the ground teams and flight attendant crews can see all of that through their internal chat app, too.

Every flight has an AI story

While all of this work is still going on, United is also looking at how it can best leverage AI.

One story I regularly hear about AI/ML in large enterprises is that ChatGPT didn’t necessarily change how the technologists thought about it, but that it suddenly became a boardroom discussion. That also holds true for United.

“We had a pretty mature AI practice,” Birnbaum said when I asked him when he realized that generative AI was something the team had to pay attention to. “We built a lot of capabilities to manage models, to do tuning and all that. So the good news for us was that we had already made a pretty big investment in this capability. What changed [when ChatGPT arrived] was not that we had to take it seriously. It was who was asking about it: When the CEO and the board suddenly are saying: ‘Hey, I need to know more about this.'”

United is quite bullish on AI, Birnbaum said. “I think the travel industry has so many different examples of where AI can be used both for the customer and for the employees.” One of those is United’s “Every flight has a story.”

Not that long ago, it was rather typical to get a notification when a flight was delayed, but no further information about it. Maybe the incoming flight was delayed. Maybe there was a maintenance issue. A few years ago, United started using agents to write short notices that explained the delay and sent those out through its app and as text messages. Now, pulling in data from its chat app and other sources, the vast majority of these messages are written by AI.

Similarly, United is looking at also using generative AI to summarize flight information for its operations teams, so they can get a quick overview of what’s happening.

A United Airlines flight information board. Image Credits: Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

Just a few weeks ago, United fully moved its chat system on United.com to an AI agent, too. In my own tests, that system still felt quite limited, but it’s only a start, Birnbaum said.

Famously, Air Canada once used an AI bot that sometimes gave wrong answers , but Birnbaum said he wasn’t too worried about that. From a technical perspective, the bot draws upon United’s knowledge base, which should keep hallucinations under control. “But to me [the Air Canada incident] wasn’t a technology failure, that was a customer service failure because — and I won’t comment too much — but I would say that, today, our human agents give wrong answers, too. We just have to deal with that and move on. I think we’re very prepared for that situation,” Birnbaum said.

Later this year, United also plans to launch a tool that is currently called “Get Me Close.” Often, when there’s a delay, customers are willing to change their plans to switch to a nearby airport. I once had United switch me to a flight to Amsterdam when my flight to Berlin got canceled (not that close, but close enough to get a train and still moderate a keynote session the next morning).

“While our mobile tools are great — and they are excellent — when people go talk to humans, the interactions are usually more about building optionality. Meaning you’re going to say, ‘Well, your flight’s delayed’ and then someone might say, ‘Well could you get me to Philadelphia instead of New York? Could you get me close? We believe that interaction is a great use case for AI.”

AI for pilots?

After creating the system that automatically writes the delay “stories” in the app, Birnbaum’s team is now thinking about where it can use the same generative AI technology. One area: those short briefings pilots usually give before takeoff.

“A pilot actually came up to me and said, ‘One of the things that some pilots are great at is getting on that speaker and saying, “Hey, welcome, everybody going to Las Vegas, blah blah.”’ And he said, ‘Some pilots are introverted; could you have an AI engine that helps me generate an announcement on the plane about where I’m going so that I could give a really good announcement about what’s happening?’ And I thought that was a great use case.”

As it turns out, one of the main drivers of customer satisfaction for airlines is actually pilot interaction. A few years ago, United started focusing on its Net Promotor score and asked pilots to make announcements about delays while standing at the front of the cabin, for example. It makes sense for the airline to look at how it can improve upon such a crucial interaction — while hopefully still allowing for pilots to go off-script, too.

Another area where generative AI may help pilots is in summarizing complex technical documents. But as Birnbaum rightly noted, everything that involves the pilot flying the plane is heavily structured and regulated, so it’ll be a while before the airline will launch anything there.