British Airways and Avios develop Apple Watch apps

British Airways and Avios have developed special apps for the new Apple Watch.

Image via Shutterstock

British Airways and Avios have developed special apps for the new Apple Watch.

The airline’s ‘glance’ screen is accessed by swiping up from the watch face and gives a summary of a travellers’ flight including the departure time, flight status and a countdown to departure.

A swipe of the glance will open the BA app, which has been re-designed to fit the Apple Watch screen and make it easy to use.

It will display a more detailed summary of the passenger’s next flight, with the flight number, route, departure time, flight status, a countdown to the departure time and the weather at the destination.

Users will also be provided with check-in and airport gate notifications. Those using the lounges at Heathrow Terminal 5 will receive iBeacon powered welcome messages.

Avios, the travel rewards currency that BA passengers can collect, is also set to launch an app for the Apple Watch.

It will be one of the first European loyalty programme apps for the Apple Watch, it will allow members to see their total Avios points balance, alert them when it increases and help them to understand how rewards can be spent.

Sara Dunham, head of marketing, retail and direct channels at BA, said: “We’re excited to be one of the first apps available for Apple Watch.

“We know our customers love innovation and we love making travel through the airport as quick and easy as possible for them, so this is the perfect combination.

“With a quick look at their wrist, the glance screen will deliver them everything they need to know about their upcoming flight.”

Gavin Halliday, managing director of Avios, added: “We want to help our customers get as much as they can from Avios and this new Watch app will make it even easier for them to keep track of their points and see the different ways they can use their Avios, not just for flights.”