British Airways is adding a 'push notification' feature to its iPhone app that will inform passengers at Heathrow T3 and T5 when their gate is open and when their aircraft is boarding.
BA customers with an iPhone will also be able to find their flight status in their device's notification centre, allowing them to be kept up-to-date without opening the airline's app.
The features will be introduced in an update next month, but will only be available to iPhone owners who have updated their device to Apple's new iOS8 operating system.
BA said it is the first airline to use the new iBeacon technology in its lounges, to show notifications based on location.
Drew Crawley, BA's chief commercial officer, said: "These thoughtful features – from alerting customers to gate announcements, to wifi passwords — that truly add value.
"The potential to optimise mobile and digital technology is endless, but requires a careful balance of adding value without bombarding customers."
BA launched the latest version of its smartphone app earlier this year (see news, May 21).
At the time, it said the number of its customers booking via mobile devices had increased by 290 per cent in two years.
Graham Smith
