Rail meets air travel in British Airways slow TV trial
British Airways is hoping to keep passengers amused with a novel form of entertainment, a rea-time second by second recording of a train journey from Bergen to Oslo in Norway – all seven hours of it.
The scenic ride will be made available to passengers in its raw form, shorn of any editing or commentary, for the authentic experience with all the content sourced from a single camera affixed to the front of the train.
So-called slow TV it is intended to provide therapeutic respite to stressed travellers, part of a Scandinavian genre that also includes knitting, walking and bird feeding.
BA’s unconventional media foray follows observations that many passengers would rather sit and watch the in-flight map showing live updates of the planes progress rather than the selection of films and TV shows built into in-flight entertainment packages.
Seven Hour Train Journey to Oslo has proven to be a surprise hit, racking up over 350,000 views on YouTube.