Latest news with #ConnectionSaver
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
United Airlines announces major upgrade that'll make connecting flights 'easier' for passengers
United Airlines has unveiled a major upgrade that could help passengers make their connecting flights this summer travel season. The airline announced a large expansion of its ConnectionSaver technology on Wednesday. The technology, which first debited in 2019, identifies tight connections and can even hold flights if the arrival time of the next flight wouldn't be significantly impacted. Passengers can access ConnectionSaver information through the United mobile app. The expansion will now allow flyers access to an enhanced connection dashboard with new features depending on the length of their connection, the airline revealed. Among the new features is a notification system that will alert travelers if their connecting flight is being held by ConnectionSaver. This will allow passengers up to date information helping them to make their connections this summer. Travelers will also be given detailed directions and estimated walk times to their new gates ensuring they get there as efficiently as possible. The technology will soon use individual's locations to overlay on to its maps for even easier navigation. Further to this the update will also give fliers flight status updates and tips for longer layovers. United estimates that ConnectionSaver has already ensured more than 3.3 million travelers make their onward flights. However, if passengers do end up missing their connections the app will also offer a new self-service rebooking option allowing customers the option to book on to the next available flight or join the standby list for an earlier flight. The new features are currently available in English and Spanish with new languages to follow in the coming months. United says it tested its new rollout on 350,000 fliers this Spring and 98 percent of them made their connections successfully. 'We know that giving people more information, in a transparent and easy-to-understand way, can help de-stress the connecting flight experience,' David Kinzelman, United's chief customer officer said. 'With these new features, our customers will have even more real-time details about their flight and as a result, have an even better experience flying United,' he added. The technology identifies tight connections and can holds flights More than 20 million fliers will be trying to make a connecting flight this summer, according to United. It comes after United continues to battle the fallout after an air traffic control blackout at its main hub in Newark Airport in Jersey last month. The legacy airline has also come under fire for unveiling new business class seats at the same time as slashing flights from its summer schedule to help boost its bottom line. United has announced plan to cut four in every 100 of its domestic flights this year — blaming a pull back in travel demand.
Travel Weekly
13 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Will I make my connecting flight? United's app will tell you
United Airlines has launched a new app feature that enables travelers with connecting flights to know their departure status and receive notification if their flight is being held for them. Such connecting travelers will be able to monitor the status of their flights in the app and will receive word if United's back-end ConnectionSaver technology has identified their flight as one able to be held for departure until they arrive. Launched in 2019, ConnectionSaver technology uses back-end data powered by AI "to quickly identify flights that can be held for connecting customers while still arriving on time to the final destination," United chief customer officer David Kinzelman told reporters Tuesday. The technology in making the determination takes into account the arriving flight's position and the time it will take for passengers to arrive at the gate, he said. Now, these passengers will receive the ConnectionSaver notification in the app, along with turn-by-turn directions to the connecting gate and walk times, he said. United earlier this year conducted a beta test of the new app features with more than 350,000 customers, Kinzelman said, 98% of whom successfully made their connecting flights. The moves "are part of our larger customer experience strategy that is based on being radically transparent with our customers and sharing information with them in easy-to-understand ways," Kinzelman said. Additionally, travelers with what United called "comfortable" connections -- those set to arrive at the connection gate before boarding time -- now will be offered information including a countdown to boarding, United airport club locations and directions. Those passengers who miss connections will be offered the ability to rebook or join standby lists through the app, Kinzelman said. The updates for now apply only to flights connecting through United's seven U.S. hub airports: Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. The new features apply only to connecting itineraries in which United operates both legs; it will not apply to flights operated by the carrier's partners. The service is available in English and Spanish, and Kinzelman said the carrier is working to introduce more languages in the future. Additionally, the airline is working to enable location services, so that passengers can share their location in the airport to receive real-time directions to the connection gate, he said. Source: Business Travel News
Skift
17 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
United Airlines Refreshes App With New Features for Connecting Flights
The app update expands on United's use of AI to help customers make connecting flights on time. United Airlines is updating its app with new features meant to help customers find their connecting flights. A separate section in the app will include a countdown to the connecting flight, directions to the gate with estimated walk times, real-time status updates, and tips for longer layovers. 'These features are part of our larger customer experience strategy that's based on being radically transparent with our customers,' said United chief customer officer David Kinzelman during a call with reporters. United has already been using AI to communicate with passengers who have connecting flights if they may miss their connections and if the plane could be held for them. The app will use this technology — called Connection Saver — to send customers notifications. The update comes as airlines have sought to improve their apps and use AI for the customer experience. Southwest Airlines has started using AI for marketing campaigns and customer service. Delta Air Lines announced last year that it would roll out an AI-powered assistant to help customers with trip planning. The app also categorizes connections in three ways: comfortable connections, tight connections, and missed connections. For comfortable connections, the app provides personalized flight status updates and tips to navigate large airports or long layovers. For tight connections, the app will provide similar updates, but also send notifications to customers on if their flight is being held for them via Connection Saver. And if a customer misses a connecting flight, the app will automatically show alternative re-booking options. The carrier said that it trialed these features in the spring with more than 350,000 customers and achieved a 98% success rate in making connections. United is making several other updates to its app such as adding more languages beyond English and Spanish; enabling location services to show customers their current location at the airport; sending text messages to update customers with connecting flights in real time about flight status and other updates. What am I looking at? The performance of airline sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including network carriers, low-cost carriers, and other related companies. The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more airlines sector financial performance. Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.
