British Airways trials new digital wayfinding tool through London Heathrow
Thursday, July 20, 2023
British Airways is trialling a new digital wayfinding tool to help customers navigate through London Heathrow. The new technology offers maps of both London Heathrow Terminal 5 and Terminal 3, helping customers who are travelling through the airline’s London hub to locate their departure gate and points of interest including shops, lounges and restaurants. The new wayfinding tool allows customers to navigate the airport more confidently, saving time and reducing the chance of missing their flight.
The tool provides clear directions and information on the airport layout, allowing customers to have a more seamless experience through London Heathrow. Through an interactive map, customers can click on areas of interest including shops and gain information about the location, opening times, and a description on items that can be purchased. The tool also allows bathrooms, seating areas and information points to be easily located.
Customers who are connecting between flights, can also input the details of their inbound and connecting flights and are then given step by step instructions along with an animated map on how to get from the arrival gate through flight connections to their connecting flight departure gate.
The trial which began in June is available to all customers who are travelling through London Heathrow, and can access the tool through QR codes on digital screens in London Heathrow or by visiting website. As part of the trial, links to wayfinding have also been sent to all customers travelling into London Heathrow and connecting from destinations including New York JFK, Dubai, Mexico City, Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth and Houston.
Calum Laming, Chief Customer Officer of British Airways, expressed the airline’s commitment to making airport travel easier for customers through the introduction of a new wayfinding tool. The interactive map, being trialed during the summer, allows passengers to effortlessly locate departure gates, discover nearby restaurants and shops for last-minute duty-free shopping, and access eligible lounges. Laming assured that the airline’s helpful staff would still be available to assist customers.
Additionally, British Airways offers travel advice for the summer period. Customers are encouraged to download the British Airways App, providing easy access to seat selection, ordering special meals, checking flight status, online check-in, and downloading boarding passes when applicable. Essential items should be kept in hand baggage, including medication, travel documents, electronic devices, and valuables. For airports with a 100ml liquid restriction, such as London Heathrow and London Gatwick, passengers are advised to separate liquids beforehand and place them in a clear bag at the airport’s security checkpoint.
Customers requiring assistance should contact the British Airways accessibility team before traveling. To ensure a smooth journey, passengers are recommended to arrive at the airport three hours before long-haul flights and two hours before short-haul flights.
British Airways has also introduced digital baggage receipts in the ba.com app, enabling customers to generate easily accessible digital bag receipts alongside physical copies printed at the airport. Furthermore, customers at London Heathrow receive notifications through the app when their bags have reached the arrivals hall, including the baggage carousel information, enhancing the seamless experience from landing in London to onward travel.