The future of in-flight entertainment

Similar in appearance to a virtual reality headset, the glasses were designed by Skylights, a start-up based in Paris

The wireless headset, which has been nominated for a prestigious Crystal Cabin Award, has a battery that provides eight hours of viewing and enough memory storage for 40 HD films, said the French firm.

The screen has 720p resolution and a large depth of field, and its developers said the experience is akin to sitting in the middle of a private cinema. Users plug headphones or earphones into the lightweight device for audio. Unlike a virtual reality headset, wearers of Skylights Theater headsets don't have to move their heads around to see a full range of images, as the film or programme is displayed on a fixed screen.

Skylights said: ‘Our product is a brand new kind of device. It’s neither virtual reality nor augmented reality.

‘Immersive glasses are about recreating the cinema experience. No interactive content, 360-degree views, or gaming. Just great cinema.’

It said airlines could generate revenue by charging a fee to passengers who want to use them during a flight.

French budget airline XL Airways, which already has Samsung tablets available for rent on its flights, recently became the first carrier to test the device, using it on four flights to Antilles and Reunion Island.