British Airways has introduced new feature to its iPhone app. The new feature will allow customers using Heathrow Terminal 5 and Terminal 3 will receive ‘push notifications’ on smartphones informing them when their gate is open and when the aircraft is boarding. The features will be introduced in an update next month, but will only be available to iPhone owners who have updated their device to Apple’s new iOS8 operating system
BA customers will also be able to find their flight status in the iPhone notification center, so they can stay up to date without even opening the app.
Acting on customer feedback, iPhone customers with the British Airways app will receive a personalized welcome pop up message and Wi-Fi password when entering the Terminal 5 lounge. British Airways is the first UK airline to use iBeacon technology in its lounges, to show notifications based on location.
Drew Crawley, British Airways’ chief commercial officer, said: “We have a unique opportunity to address customer needs and offer intuitive ways of making their journey even smoother. It’s these thoughtful features – from alerting customers to gate announcements, to Wi-Fi passwords, that truly add value.
“The potential to optimize mobile and digital technology is endless, but requires a careful balance of adding value without bombarding customers.â€
The app is also available on Android, Amazon Appstore, BlackBerry and Windows Phone models.