London - For air passengers who struggle to make their departure gates on time, British Airways may have the answer.
The airline has developed a smartphone app which tracks travellers’ location and alerts them if they are running late.
The app calculates whether they have left enough time to get to the gate from wherever they are in the airport – and will factor in their average walking pace, so that those with a tendency to dawdle, or with children in tow, are given more time.
BA’s head of digital, Glenn Morgan, said: “There are different profiles of customer and we want to take account of that. The idea of this new app is about taking the friction out of travelling.”
Users must agree to share their location. Their phone will then show warnings that urge them to hurry if they have not allowed enough time. It also shows a map and plots the quickest route to the gate with step-by-step directions.
The software, which BA hopes to launch in the next three years, was showcased ahead of the airline’s inaugural direct flight from Heathrow to San Jose, in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley.
Mr Morgan has also developed electronic bag tags for frequent fliers, to replace adhesive ones attached to bags at check-in. The reusable device would update with the correct bar code for each flight.
Daily Mail