Hoping for that battlefield upgrade or standby seat? You won’t have to deal with a gate agent any longer thanks to a new touchless technology update from United Airlines that will alert you without having to approach the podium.
New United Airlines Technology Notifies You If You Clear Standby Or Upgrade Waitlist
In the past, if you clear the standby or upgrade waitlist at the gate, a gate agent pages you, you approach the podium, and are handed a paper boarding pass indicating your new seat assignment. In a paperless era with touches interaction especially acute during the pandemic, United will notify you directly if your new assignment comes through.
Revenue and non-revenue customers will receive a text or email notification when their seat is assigned, or their upgrade has been processed at the gate. The text or email will prompt them to refresh their mobile boarding pass on the United app and board with the group number shown.
To receive the notification, customers should:
- Make sure they’ve downloaded the United app on their mobile device
- Sign up for day-of-travel notifications: Simply provide a mobile phone number or email during booking or check in.
- To save contact information to a MileagePlus account, customers need to go to their account Profile & Preferences > Contact Information
If you’re a regular United flyer, you know this process has somewhat been the case for years. United’s app, which remains the best in the business, will immediately reflect your new seat once assigned, as long as you refresh it. What’s new is the notification prompting you to refresh it.
I already avoid gate agents and just retrieve my new boarding pass on my phone when I standby or receive an upgrade…and I did this long before COVID-19. It’s not because I am shy or don’t want to interact with gate agents, it’s because I am a packrat and did not want to add more paper to my collection of boarding passes dating back two decades.
(side note – I know I can throw them all away, but cannot bring myself to…)
CONCLUSION
This is such a minor change, but it is a positive change that will reduce paper waste and help promote social distancing during this difficult time. It will also reduce gate agent workload, allowing them to focus on getting the flight out on time.
image: United
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