United recently announced another technology innovation – real-time radar maps – to help customers understand how inclement weather in one part of the country can impact a flight elsewhere. United is the only U.S. airline currently providing specific flight delay messages, and the airline is sending them with assistance from Gen AI tools. Gen AI is similar to the technology Chat GPT uses.
“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 innovations comes as United prepared for its busiest Fourth of July weekend on record with an estimated five million passengers flying between June 28 and July 8.
United Airlines will also automatically issue hotel and meal vouchers in case of flight delays or cancellations.
How does this technology work?
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 tell the complete story of a flight change. These messages are sent to customers through text or email 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 the 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.
United continues to be transparent about delays
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 with 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 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 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. Passengers flying basic economy are also eligible for free family seating.
- 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.
United Airlines Delay Map Analysis
I continue to be impressed with United Airlines’ delay transparency when comparing other US airline’s approaches to informing passengers about delays. United has invested quite a bit of money and resources to help passengers. I’m excited to see more detailed delay updates, that is something I feel the industry lacks quite a bit of transparency on this particular item which leads to passenger frustration.
United displays radar maps in the gate area when a flight has been delayed due to weather.
Delta does something similar when an inbound flight is delayed. However, I noticed not many passengers paid attention to that type of information. I do not think showing this information on the gate screens is a good place as the app is where most people check their flight status and other information. Hopefully, in the future, I hope the weather map feature is integrated into the app as I don’t think many passengers would care to follow links. Overall I am excited to try out this new feature on a future United flight and then share my thoughts on a future flight review.
Awesome outreach United!! I benefited from automatic hotel + meal voucher delivery with delayed inbound last flight of day!! Keep the innovations real!! 🙏🤩
I wish more airlines would be like United in this regard especially during the summer season. Thanks for your comment Scott! Have an awesome day!