MAKING TRACKS: Air Canada pax can now follow checked baggage
Air Canada has introduced a new feature to its mobile app that will enable customers travelling within Canada to track the progress of their baggage and mobility aid in real time at key points as it moves with them throughout their journey. The airline says the new tracking feature is designed to provide travellers with added confidence and improve the overall customer experience through greater convenience.
The process is based on the same tag scanning information that Air Canada employees use at each stage to handle these items. Initially available to customers travelling within Canada during final development, the tracking feature will be expanded to the airline’s US flights next year and, over time, select international destinations.
Features include:
- Air Canada mobile app users will be able to track the progress of their checked items at key points from check-in, through the airport handling processes, on to the aircraft and through connections and arrival, providing reassurance every step of the way.
- For customers required to check mobility aids, they will be able to track the movement of their aid, including to confirm, under Air Canada’s enhanced accessibility protocols, that it is securely loaded before the aircraft departs.
- The tracker’s “What’s Next” feature tells customers the next step for their belongings, including information on where they need to pick up their bag, such as an airport baggage carousel number, either at a transfer point or the end of their journey.
- If baggage is delayed, in addition to existing text or email notifications, the app has the functionality to advise customers of delayed items and enable them to easily file a delayed baggage report from their smart phone and arrange delivery, which saves time waiting at the carousel or at a baggage assistance counter. Customers will receive a confirmation that the report is received with a file number and a link to follow-up on any updates.
The tracking feature is integrated into the Air Canada mobile app, which the airline touts as the best way for customers to manage their travel. In addition to allowing customers to book travel and check-in, the app provides self-service capabilities, up-to-the-minute notifications on flight status and gate changes, airport maps, and other useful information. Customers can download the Air Canada mobile app at no cost from Apple’s App Store or Google Play.
“At Air Canada, we know that apart from a safe, comfortable journey, the prompt delivery of baggage and mobility aids is a top priority for our customers,” says Tom Stevens, VP, Customer Experience and Operations Strategy at Air Canada. “We already achieve a very high reliability rate, but to further elevate our service we are introducing a new tracking feature in the Air Canada mobile app to give customers real-time information, greater certainty about the movement of their belongings during their trip, and heightened convenience.”
A video about the baggage tracking process can be downloaded HERE.
First published at Travel Industry Today
