Heathrow, the UK’s hub airport, is trialling the next generation of passenger service – Heathrow Helpers.
The new team of trained helpers will be on hand to assist with every passenger demand including such services as providing destination advice, weather updates, sun bathing advice, sports news, games for children, assisting anxious flyers, charging of technology and basic language support. The initiative has been implemented as the airport has been receiving the strangest passenger requests over the past 10 years, ranging from absurd travel directions through to language faux pas.
Located throughout the airport, passengers will be able to identify the crew by their purple uniforms and special tool belts. Each tool belt will contain the necessary accessories to respond to the most popular passenger requests, including cuddly toys for young children and technology chargers for business travellers.
With a combined experience of 264 years in assisting passengers, the team covers over 38 languages between them. Heathrow Helpers have been selected based on their exceptional skill sets, from being tourism specialists to proficiency in sign language.
Normand Boivin, Chief Operating Officer at Heathrow, said, ‘At Heathrow, we see a wide range of passengers travelling through the airport daily, and with this comes a variety of needs and demands that must be catered for. That’s why our latest trial highlights Heathrow’s endeavour to provide a unique and bespoke service to everyone using the airport. Our Heathrow Helpers will be present all week, providing passengers with that extra special treatment.’
As the next level of personal service, especially for VIP travellers, Heathrow is set to launch a tailored service – Heathrow Upgrade. Upgrade service will provide passengers with their very own Heathrow Helper for the duration of their journey, and a Heathrow Porter to carry bags.