United is improving the connecting experience with big tech upgrades
If you've ever been that person asking your fellow passengers to let you disembark before them, then this news from United Airlines will likely excite you.
The Chicago-based carrier announced on Wednesday a big expansion to its ConnectionSaver technology, which debuted back in 2019.
As part of the expansion, flyers will see an enhanced connection dashboard in the United mobile app that includes a slew of new features depending on the length of their connection.
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Perhaps the most exciting enhancement is that travelers will receive a notification if their connecting flight is being held by ConnectionSaver. This is a tool that identifies tight connections and potentially holds connecting flights if the arrival time of the next flight wouldn't be significantly delayed by a short hold.
Since it debuted six years ago, ConnectionSaver has saved the day for more than 3.3 million travelers, according to United. (It's too bad United's competitors don't seem to be using similar technology yet.)
In addition to this new notification, travelers will see turn-by-turn directions with estimated walk times between their gates at all U.S. hubs, as well as tips for longer layovers and flight status updates.
If you don't end up making your connection, the app will offer a self-service rebooking experience that will allow you to confirm the next available flight or join the standby list for an earlier flight.
These features are currently available in English and Spanish, and support for additional languages will be introduced in the coming months.
Furthermore, the map technology will soon overlay your current location for even easier navigation between gates.
United said that more than 20 million flyers have already booked connecting flights for the summer travel period. The airline also beta-tested these new features during the spring with more 350,000 customers, 98% of whom made their connection.
"We know that giving people more information, in a transparent and easy-to-understand way, can help de-stress the connecting flight experience. Our award-winning mobile app is a game-changer during travel, and with these new features, our customers will have even more real-time details about their flight and as a result, have an even better experience flying United," David Kinzelman, United's chief customer officer, said about the new features.
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