How likely are senior women to load electronic travel apps on smart phones? I say: highly unlikely. Most of us are half in the modern and half in the non-electronic world. We love sending photos with phones; we hesitate to manage flights on the smart phone airline app.
Here is why it is best to learn the airline app and get on with it.
You have control over your reservation. You have easy access to the record locator or id number of your flight and its departure times. All the information you need appears on your screen, when you click on My Trips or Manage Your Trip. (The example on the link is United). Essential information,if leaving from or arriving into a major airport is the actual Terminal number. You need to know where to go and how far away is the terminal for your connecting flight if any.
If you check in on the app, you avoid a long line as you have your digital boarding pass in your phone.
Each airline has a different but easily recognizable menu. Delays are noted. Gate changes also.
There is the ability to choose your seats, with a seat chart that reflects the airplane cabin. I make a screen shot of the seating chart with my seat noted, as once Delta double booked my seat. The seating chart shows the location of your seat. Want to be near the toilets or away from them? More importantly, you can change seats or pay / upgrade them directly on the app. Control over your seat is useful; closer to departure. it is likely other seats will become available. (Some are saved by the airline, others might have been cancelled).
If you are in the list of lucky passengers who might be upgraded, the seating chart will show if there are empty seats as you wait anxiously. If you are not called and you still see empty upgraded seats, go immediately to check in staff and inquire.
The app’s also have other information related to your flight. Where your plane is coming from ie. its prior flight. That might give you a early idea of punctuality.
You can store a credit card in the app, making it easier to pay for changes. In addition, any flight credits will be stored so you can find them and apply to a future flight.
You can enter your passport information so gate staff don’t stop you to double check your pasport, when you are ready to board.
Recent activity area shows your mileage and prior flights. A hunt in the app will find the area where you can claim lost mileage. On a recent flight from Jeddah to Istanbul on Saudi Airlines, I saw the Delta SkyMiles logo on the wall at check in. I kept the paper Saudi boarding pass with its ticket number By asking Delta for the mileage, my SkyMiles account jumped into the next level. (Note: not all Delta partners are listed in the Delta SkyMiles Partner list; Saudi was not.)
And finally once you use the app and have an account (free), you can access wifi on many flights. Some wifi is free; others is discounted for app users.
Travel tips from award winning The Women’s Travel Group. For 32 years we have offered small group top quality tours for women. Contact us for more information.
