United hopes to speed up Thanksgiving travel with tech
United Airlines is prepping for a record-breaking Thanksgiving travel season, with nearly six million people expected to fly.
United is touting recent innovations to help travelers skip lines, get through security faster and improve the overall travel experience.
“We’re preparing to help all customers get to their destinations on time,” said Linda Jojo, United’s Chief Customer Officer.
“Our customers tell us that they like the ability to skip many lines and enjoy prompt personalized service when they need it.”
Since the start of the year, United has launched or enhanced dozens of new innovations in its mobile app.
This includes free family seating.
United is the first and only airline to offer a dynamic seat map that allows children under 12 to be seated next to an adult in their party for free at time of booking.
United has helped more than 200,000 families book seats together for free.
United’s ‘bag drop shortcut’ allows customers who check in on the United app to skip the check-in line and drop off their bag curbside or at a separate, dedicated location.
Passengers can order food and beverages in advance up to 24 hours prior to departure in the United mobile app or united.com.
Customers also have a personalized airport wayfinding tool to navigate point-to-point throughout certain airports with United’s Terminal Guide.
Additionally, there are personalized flight notifications and United is the first and only U.S. airline to support Live Activities for iPhone.
This gives customers real-time access to their boarding pass, gate and seat number, and countdown clock to departure time on their lock screen.
Last week, United launched the ability for Android users to also see real-time flight information on their lock screens.
The airline has just introduced a new ‘WILMA’ or window-middle-aisle boarding system, which it says can save up to two minutes on boarding per departure.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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