Apps that address airline and travel disruption continue to soar in popularity globally.
Airport apps: With so many of us heading overseas for the warmer months, airline strikes, bad weather, and other factors causing severe disruption to routes, not to mention stress to travellers, many of us are leaning on technology to get us from A to B.
According to TheBusinessofApps, the travel app market generated 577 billion euros in revenue last year, a 13% increase from the previous year. In addition, figures from TravelPerk reveal 76 per cent of global travellers look for apps that aim to reduce the friction and stress of hitting the skies before leaving home.
This is why we looked at some of the greatest platforms and apps that are taking the turbulence out of travel.
FlightAware
FlightAware is a free-to-download live flight tracker and status checker that’s available on both Android and iOS. The app enables users to keep tabs on commercial flights in real time. It also covers general aviation, meaning you can view private places. What’s great about the app is its ability to show you exactly where your flight is on a world map. It even includes a weather radar so you can pre-empt any further delays. Users can track aircraft by route, registration details, flight numbers and airport codes. In addition, they can set up notifications so they know almost exactly what time to travel to the airport.
TripIt – airport apps
The holy grail of travel apps, TripIt is an all-in-one app where you can organise your travel plans, from flights to hotels to restaurant bookings. Users simply need to forward all trip confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com, and AI will pop together a plan in seconds, creating a detailed itinerary for the least experienced travellers. With over 20 million users, this free-to-use app on both Android and iOS is a great way of ensuring a seamless travel experience, although it’s worth noting that notifications and updates on bookings, including flights, are only part of the subscription version.
FlightStats
A platform that does exactly what it says on the site, FlightStats is all about flight notifications, delays, and plane tracking. Users can search by flight, route, and airport and even check the historical flight statuses of previous routes. An added bonus is the current weather conditions, wind, rain and even visibility updates. Unfortunately, as with some similar offerings, flight notifications are only available on a subscription basis. This no-frills, easy-to-use site requires users to simply enter the name of the relevant airport in a search bar before pulling up tracking information. It features free and subscription versions through its website and apps available on iOS and Android.
Flighty – airport apps
Designed specifically for passengers, Flighty provides users with real-time push notifications and helps predict delays through providing detailed maps with flight tracking functionality. Its colourful interface means it’s easy to track delays, departures, and arrivals with both paid-for and free versions. What’s more, you can download a unique Flighty passport to share personal delays, aircraft reports, delay times and total hours lost due to hold-ups. With free and pro versions, another nifty aspect is its Morning-of check and connections assistants, which will help users make connecting flights a lot less stressful! Flighty is free to download with a subscription service on both Android and iOS.
FlightView
Through its website and app, FlightView provides users with flight tracking capabilities, itinerary management, and access to arrival and departure boards, along with notifications on delays and detailed weather forecasting. A nifty platform for business and personal travel, you can access information on available hotels and parking for a less stressful airport experience. It even features a colour-coded flight map, where planes are labelled with information about delays. Known to provide data to American Airlines, it’s a reliable, free-to-use platform available on Android and iOS.
App in the Air
Designed for super frequent flyers, App in the Air acts as a personal travel assistant, enabling people to plan, book and manage every stage of the travel process. It enables users to receive real-time notifications, subscribe family and friends to updates, and has an auto check-in function and AR baggage scanner. Its AI-driven search tool also lets you book flights and hotels matching your preferences. What’s cool is its leaderboard feature, which allows you to receive achievement badges, share flight status updates, log countries visited, and fly aeroplanes. App in the Air is a paid-for service, but you can try it for 14 days free of charge on board Android and iOS.
