British Airways (BA) has introduced a number of measures at Heathrow to enhance services for passengers with connecting flights, saying it wants to improve their journey.
New ideas include ensuring flights with a large number of connecting passengers are directed to the most convenient aircraft stands to ensure they have time to get to their next gate.
In addition, when BA is aware that a large number of passengers are going on to the same flight, it will arrange for vehicle transfers to their next flight, ‘cutting out the need for extra legwork’.
Following a trial, customers in First, Club World or Club Europe, as well as Gold and Silver Executive Club members who are at risk of missing their next flight will be provided with a chauffeur-driven executive car where possible to transfer them. The service has proved popular so BA says it will add more vehicles to its fleet.
Passengers with tight connections will also be contacted while they’re in the air and given Express Connect status and information packs to fast-track them though the airport and security checkpoints.
If a customer is in danger of missing their connecting flight, they can be re-booked on another BA service or Oneworld partner airline while they’re still in the air. BA says they will be met at the aircraft door by connections staff, who will provide them with their new boarding pass, refreshment vouchers and – if overnight accommodation is necessary – their hotel booking.
At Heathrow Terminal 5, BA has installed new self-service kiosks in the connections area to allow passengers to print out their own boarding passes.
Tom Stevens, head of customer at Heathrow for BA, said: “We know how important it is for our customers to transfer through the airport quickly and smoothly, and all of these additional initiatives show them we’ll always go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.”
ba.com