GURUGRAM: Air India has rolled out an integrated self-check-in and baggage-drop service for its passengers flying from India to all destinations operated by the airline in Europe, the UK, and Canada. Air India was the first airline to introduce this service from India to international destinations in the US and Australia, besides airports in the domestic network.

Air India is now extending the facility to a total of 19 airports – London (Heathrow and Gatwick), Birmingham, Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Milan, Zurich, Toronto, Vancouver and to all five destinations in US (New York, Newark, Chicago, Washington and San Francisco) and two in Australia (Sydney and Melbourne) – from airports in India. The initiative reaffirms Air India’s commitment to leveraging technology to elevate customer experience and deliver world-class service across every touchpoint.

The integrated self-check-in and baggage-drop service offers a smooth and faster check-in process at the airport, significantly enhancing the passenger experience. With this facility, Air India passengers can enjoy a seamless digital process to print boarding passes and baggage tags and drop bags on their own, eliminating the need to queue up for check-in at counters.

The kiosks allow travellers to customise their trips by selecting and even paying for their preferred seats or updating their frequent flyer number and contact details. This initiative cuts down on the time spent queuing up at the counters and helps passengers breeze through the airport to reach their boarding gates in time.

Over the last one year, Air India has introduced several customer initiatives including the Premium Lobby that offers exclusive check-in for first, business, and premium economy passengers, the dedicated Family Assistance counters at Delhi airport offering support to passengers travelling with family, city-side check-in counters at Delhi and Hyderabad helping passengers skip queues at airport counters and Self Check-in and Baggage-drop service. These initiatives are further elevating Air India’s customer experience to global standards that are now reflected in our NPS (customer satisfaction) scores.

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GURUGRAM: Air India, India’s leading global airline, has rolled out an easy-to-use baggage tracking feature on its mobile app and website. Leveraging real-time baggage tracking information available from its network airports and a scalable cloud applications infrastructure, this capability will keep our guests in touch with their baggage throughout the journey and significantly reduce concern, if any, about their checked-in bags. Air India is one of the select few airlines in the world to provide this convenience directly to guests without any intervention from airline staff.

Designed and developed by Air India’s digital technology and design teams, in collaboration with the airline’s airport operations department, the feature offers a convenient option for end-to-end baggage tracking with minimal data entry. Guests can track their checked-in bags simply by scanning the barcode on their baggage receipts. Alternatively, this information becomes automatically available in the ‘My Trips’ section of the mobile app soon after the bags are checked in if the trip has been added there. The feature is also available under the Book & Manage section of the Air India website under the ‘Track Your Bags’ tab.

Other important aspects of this feature include:

• Real-time updates: Important details about checked-in bags such as current location, transit status, and baggage arrival details along with the local time of events are provided in an easy-to-read manner. The status coverage includes all important baggage touchpoints where baggage tracking technology is available such as check-in, security clearance, aircraft loading, transfers, and arrival in the baggage claim area.
• Tracking of code-share and interline flights: End-to-end baggage tracking will be available across multiple flight segments on Air India. In addition, if the journey includes segments from other airlines in interline or code-share connections belonging to the same reservation, then tracking from those segments is also provided.
• Comprehensive tracking: For guests with multiple checked-in bags, detailed tracking information for each bag is available on a single user-friendly interface. Timely notification is also provided via the mobile app when the baggage is checked in. An enhanced range of notifications significant to the tracking experience, like baggage carousel information on arrival, are also in the pipeline.

“In our sustained efforts to enhance guest experience by embracing innovative digital technology, we can now provide real-time baggage status to our guests. This key customer-centric initiative marks a significant milestone in our transformation journey. Our mobile app serves as the ideal platform for our guests to use this feature as it provides specific information related to baggage as part of the ‘My Trips’ segment. Guests can also add baggage tags easily by scanning with the mobile phone’s camera,” said Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Air India.

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INDIA: In the post Covid era, Indians have emerged as big globetrotters. This surge in travel, though positive, is accompanied with growing concerns for lost and mishandled baggage. Infact, a report by SITA the world’s leading specialist in airport transport communication and IT, found that over 26 million pieces of luggage were delayed, lost, or damaged in 2022.

Today, effective baggage management has become a crucial focus area to enhance the overall travel experience. As many are looking to devise solutions to prioritise safety of travellers baggage, Vi, a leading telecom operator, has become the first in its industry to partner with Blue Ribbon Bags, a US based lost baggage concierge service company, to offer a worry-free travel experience for Vi Postpaid international travellers.

Vi Postpaid users can pre-book an International Roaming (IR) Pack for travel planned before April 7, 2024 and avail of complimentary cover towards delayed or lost baggage. This service offers a compensation of Rs. 19,800 per bag in case the luggage is delayed or not found beyond 96 hours following a submission of the complaint. This exclusive offer is valid for a limited period on select unlimited international roaming plans namely 10 days @3999, 14 days @4999, and 30-days @5999 starting February 26, 2024, until March 21, 2024.

How it works?

Book Vi international roaming pack in advance by 21^st March 2024 for a travel date before 7^th April, 2024 and get free Blue Ribbon Bags service for your trip.-    Eligible on roaming packs 10 Days @ Rs.3999, 14 Days @ Rs.4999 and 30 Days @ Rs.5999-    Register with Blue ribbon bags before taking your flight.-    Check-in your bags at the airport-    If your bags are delayed or lost by the airline, file a report with the airline and Blue Ribbon Bags within 24 hours of landing.-    Blue Ribbon Bags will track and expedite the return of your bags using their global network and technology.-    If your bags are not returned to you within 4 days, Blue Ribbon Bags will pay you Rs 19,800 per bag, guaranteed, NO Questions asked. 

This partnership represents a significant step towards fulfilling the needs of modern travellers, offering them peace of mind and assurance during their international journeys. As Vi continues to prioritize customer-centric innovation, baggage protection services is yet another addition to our add on services and reinforces Vi’s commitment to delivering unmatched value and convenience to its customers.

In addition to this, Vi postpaid users can truly enjoy other benefits of Vi’s international roaming plans such as unlimited data and calls across 29 Countries, unlimited incoming calls in 100+ countries and 24/7 Live agent customer support via WhatsApp. To avail this service, click here: https://www.myvi.in/content/vodafoneideadigital/in/en/vil-homepage/static-pages/Travel-with-Vi-get-FREE-lost-baggage-protection.html  

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INDIA: Inviting flyers to curate their flight inclusions and take off on frictionless journeys in resonance with its brand proposition of ‘Fly As You Are’, Air India Express announced the launch of special Xpress Lite fares, available exclusively on the airline’s award-winning mobile app and website airindiaexpress.com. Xpress Lite fares enable guests who prefer traveling without check-in baggage to make the most of fares that are lower than regular fares. Xpress Check-In enables flyers to avoid queues at counters and baggage belts and comes with a complimentary +3 kg cabin baggage allowance in addition to significantly discounted pre-booked prices for +15 kg and +20 kg check-in baggage allowances to ensure the maximum flexibility and convenience for guests booking on Xpress Lite fares.

In addition to the standard cabin baggage allowance of 7kgs, guests traveling on Xpress Lite fares can pre-book an additional 3kg cabin baggage complimentary during booking or subsequently in the ‘Manage’ or ‘Check-in’ sections of the airline website or mobile app. In case guests require check-in baggage services later, they can also conveniently opt to pre-book additional ‘check-in baggage’ allowances at significantly discounted rates for 15 kg and 20 kg excess baggage slabs. Guests can also purchase check-in baggage services at the airline’s counters at the airport.

Speaking about the launch of the new Xpress Lite fares, Ankur Garg, Chief Commercial Officer, of Air India Express, said, “The launch of Xpress Lite fares heralds what we hope will be a new way to fly in India, extending a proposition already popular amongst flyers across the world, including international airlines flying to and from India. It underscores our dedication to continuing to push the envelope, introducing best-in-class offerings for Indian flyers, offering frictionless journeys, and reaffirming our brand ethos of ‘Fly As You Are’. Xpress Lite Fares across our domestic and international network have the potential to redefine convenience in air travel while delivering exceptional value.”

In addition to Xpress Lite fares, Air India Express offers a range of services designed to enable guests to enhance and tailor their travel experience such as over a dozen Gourmair hot meals, the AirFlix in-flight experience hub, FlyAhead services for seamless flight changes on the same day, Xtra Seat and Xtra Carry-On offering guests an additional 3 kg or 5 kg cabin baggage allowance.

With the airline’s International Connecting Baggage service, the airline offers guests traveling on its network and connecting internationally with any airline the convenience of pre-booking excess baggage at a significant discount.

Air India Express is rapidly introducing new aircraft with premium services on a hybrid fleet, including aircraft with business-class configuration on a growing number of routes, a luxurious experience that includes wider seats with even more legroom, Gourmair hot meals, and Xpress Ahead priority services.

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