As part of industry-leading efforts to
communicate to customers in real-time, airline uses AI tools to
send travelers information about their trip, especially if
things don't go as planned
Real-time radar maps can help customers
understand how inclement weather in one part of the country can
impact a flight elsewhere
CHICAGO, July 3, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- United now texts customers links to local, live
radar maps during weather delays, as part of its industry-leading
effort to give travelers as much real-time information as possible
about their trip, especially if things don't go as planned. For the
past few years, the airline has used dedicated teams to write and
send text messages to customers that give near-instantaneous
details about a given flight – everything from gate changes and
boarding times to more specifics regarding aircraft swaps, crew
rescheduling and weather events – and the teams now use generative
artificial intelligence (gen AI) tools to assist in giving more
travelers real-time updates during flight delays.
United's latest innovation – real-time radar maps – can help
customers understand how inclement weather in one part of the
country can impact a flight elsewhere. United is the first and only
U.S. airline currently providing its customers these kinds of
specific messages, and the airline is sending them with assistance
from gen AI tools.
"With more people traveling this summer than ever, we wanted to
give our customers an easier way to stay connected to real-time
information about their flight and texting was the simplest
solution," said Jason Birnbaum,
United's Chief Information Officer. "We know customers appreciate
transparency and by combining innovative technology-enabled tools
with people power, we can give more people, even more in-the-moment
details about their flight."
The release of these new innovations comes as United expects its
busiest Fourth of July weekend on record with more than five
million passengers flying between June 28
and July 8, up more than 7% compared to last year.
Here's how it works:
- Specialized customer service teams sit in the network
operations center alongside the flight operations teams and tap gen
AI to review flight data and write customer messages that tells the
complete story of a flight change. These messages are sent to
customers through text or email in an effort to provide more
helpful and relevant information about why flight plans are
changing.
- During weather events, messages will include links to local,
live radar maps showing weather details across flight paths. This
helps customers stay informed on weather-related delays, including
showing how weather in one part of the country can impact a flight
elsewhere. Plus, customers on all flights can access links to
weather maps in the United app under flight status updates, and
United displays radar maps in the gate area when a flight has been
delayed due to weather.
Leading with Customer Transparency
For years, United
has led the airline industry on implementing new technologies and
policies across its operation to increase customer transparency,
including:
- Automatic rebooking assistance: Instead of waiting in
line to talk to an agent or search for new options, United's
self-service tools automatically present travelers personalized
re-booking options, bag tracking information and meal and hotel
vouchers when eligible if their flight is delayed or canceled.
- Real-time flight updates: United is the first and only
U.S. airline to give customers real-time access to their boarding
pass, gate and seat number, and countdown clock to departure time
directly on their phone screens, all without opening the United
app.
- Free family seating: United is the first and only
airline to offer a dynamic seat map feature that makes it easier to
seat children under 12-years-old next to an adult in their party
for free – even travelers in Basic Economy.
- No change fees: In August
2020, United got rid of change fees, offering more
flexibility for travel plans, and started complimentary standby
travel, becoming the only U.S. airline that lets all customers in
all classes of service fly same-day standby for free.
For more information, visit united.com.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most
comprehensive global route network among North American carriers
and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by
available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team,
please visit www.united.com/careers and more information
about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings,
Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the
Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
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SOURCE United Airlines