Iberia, Spain’s largest airline, has introduced a new feature to help with the departure process and keep passengers updated with any last minute changes to their itinerary. Unlike static printed or electronic boarding cards, a new digital boarding pass, obtainable through the app, will update automatically.
The new “ dynamic boarding pass” will let flyers know automatically in case of seat changes, gate changes, or cabin upgrades, and inform them of any other relevant news about their journey. Customers also receive a push notification on their mobile device with the updated information, avoiding unnecessary movements.
Relieving “gate anxiety”
Removing the need for flyers to stay glued to updates on departure screens in airports, commentators are speculating that the app will contribute to flyers being able to stay calm in the face of what some are calling “gate anxiety”.
Gate anxiety is a phenomenon that gives people the feeling they cannot relax until they arrive at the correct gate for departure, often meaning they miss out on the retail opportunities and refreshments on offer at airports. Online anecdotes include hundreds of travellers who make their way straight to the gate, for fear of how far away it might be, or have previously been caught out by a long walk to the correct air bridge.
Not intended to replace email notifications, the feature is available to users of the Iberia app (iOS and Android) and to customers who download their boarding pass to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet from the website.
Harnessing tech to improve journeys
The dynamic boarding card launch is part of what Iberia calls its “commitment to innovation, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement in customer service.” In a press release, the carrier cited other examples of “innovative projects” launched by the airline. These included ‘Iberia GPT’, a new “conversational assistant” in ChatGPT that helps customers plan their trips in an “inspiring, agile, and personalized way”, the airline says. What’s more, Iberia claims, Háblalo x Iberia, is “an app that improves the travel experience for people with communication difficulties.”
Other recent moves to ensure a seamless and trouble-free passenger journey have been made too. Iberia has become one of the first airlines to partner with Apple to integrate AirTag information into its operations, allowing customers to share the location of their luggage via the AirTag technology and thus be assured of its whereabouts at all times. This, the carrier says will help with “improving efficiency and the overall experience.”
