York tech firm brings Heathrow flight data to Amazon Alexa

Heathrow Airport has teamed up with a technology company to create new flight information capabilities for Amazon Alexa.

Users of Amazon’s AI-led personal assistant will be able to take advantage of a new ‘Skill’ for the software that allows them to request live flight status, gate updates and details on arrivals and departures.

To create the tool, Heathrow worked with The Voyage Team, part of York-headquartered Piksel Group.

The team behind the project overcame the challenge of giving Alexa devices access to information on around 1,300 daily aircraft movements operated by more than 84 airlines.

The Skill uses information found within Heathrow’s own flight information data hub, which collates all the airport’s flight schedule information.

Travellers now have the option of using Alexa alongside Heathrow’s website and mobile app to access consistent flight data.

Stephen Glenfield, senior digital manager at Heathrow, commented: “Delivering detailed flight information directly to customers within their homes is another fantastic milestone in improving our digital experience.

“Launching the first airport-specific Alexa Skill in the UK ensures easy access to the latest flight information, helping passengers to plan their journey more effectively and improve their experience from start to finish.”

Dave Wood, client director at The Voyage Team, said: “We have worked with Heathrow since 2005 and have a shared focus on providing the best experience for Heathrow customers.

“Alexa is an exciting new frontier in customer service, and by adding an Alexa Skill, Heathrow is ensuring that it is serving technology-savvy customers and is ready for the growing trend in voice based services.”