For anyone who’s ever stepped off a plane into sweltering heat and instantly regretted their decision to dress head-to-toe in mohair, there’s now help at hand.
Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport has installed a new “climate portal” that allows travelers to sample the weather at their destination before they go there.
The shiny booth, which will be in place until the end of August, uses live data from around the planet to simulate a variety of weather environments.
These are separated into three rooms: hot, cold and big.
Link to the world
The portal uses wind generators, temperature controllers and audio-visual cues to recreate the experience of stepping into hot, dry deserts, chilled icy plains or teeming cityscapes.
“With the climate portal we wanted to explore the possibilities of not just taking you to your destination, but our destinations to you. A direct link to the whole world,” says Michael Persson Gripkow, marketing director at Swedavia, which runs Sweden’s main airports.
Yvonne Boe, communication manager of Stockholm Airport, describes the simulator as a “direct link to the whole world” that could help passengers prepare for their journey.
“It’s also a preview of where you’re going, so you know if you need to get that warm sweater or an extra pair of sunglasses before boarding.”