Heathrow has started using passenger-tracking technology with the aim of reducing delays to aircraft caused by people arriving late for their flights.
The smart boarding cards system - called "positive boarding" - is designed to help reduce airlines' last-minute searches for passengers and/or their bags.
The airport said it should also provide travellers with more accurate information to help them move more smoothly through the terminal.
Following trials, Virgin Atlantic has become the first airline to adopt the process in Terminal 3 for its long-haul flights and its Little Red domestic services in Terminal 1.
Under the system, passengers are given tickets featuring a barcode which is used at an automatic gate before going through to security.
When the passenger scans the boarding pass, details from the barcode are compared against airlines’ central flight information and tailored information for the individual traveller flashes up on screen.
If a passenger is in the wrong terminal, the message will tell them where to go, or if he has limited time, to proceed straight to the gate.
Should a passenger try to go through security with less than 30 minutes before his flight is due to depart, he is asked to return to check-in and seek assistance from the airline.
This real-time information of where passengers are in the terminal allows the airline to immediately begin unloading the baggage, helping them keep to the departure schedule as no bag can travel without its owner.
Heathrow today revealed that during the first week in operation, 35,000 passengers successfully used the positive boarding technology as part of their departure journey.
The data shows that 44 per cent of the departing Virgin Atlantic and Little Red flights had passengers who could have potentially delayed the departure. Of these travellers, 700 were informed by the automatic information display to promptly make their way to the departure gate to ensure they didn't miss the flight.
Ten late-running passengers were instructed to go back to check-in as they didn't have enough time to clear security and make their flight. This allowed the airline to unload their luggage and depart on time.
Terminal 4 will take delivery of the system - which can be used by all airlines and builds on the success of a similar system used by BA in Terminal 5, "Ready To Fly" - in September.
Kathryn Leahy, director of Terminal 3, said: "We are thrilled that the new technology is now live in T3 and will help our passengers have a stress free flight. It also enables us to work with the airlines to improve the punctuality of departing flights."
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