Birmingham Airport’s AI assistant BABS answers thousands of passenger enquiries around the clock, with personalisation, wider integrations and staff support now being explored.
Birmingham Airport (BHX) has outlined the continued development of BABS, its AI-powered customer assistant, which provides passengers with round-the-clock support before and during their journey through the airport.
Developed with conversational AI specialist Hello Lamp Post, BABS forms part of the airport’s customer experience strategy. It answers passenger questions on topics including check-in, security procedures, car parking, lounges, accessibility services and terminal facilities. The airport describes the assistant as part of its wider commitment to using technology to make travel easier, more accessible and more intuitive.
According to the airport, BABS handles thousands of passenger enquiries, providing immediate responses to common questions. This reduces waiting times for assistance and allows airport teams to focus on more complex enquiries and face-to-face support.
Location-aware support in the terminal and online
The assistant operates both in the terminal and online, and adapts its guidance according to where a passenger is interacting. This is intended to keep support relevant whether passengers are planning ahead, using their own device or moving through the airport.
BABS is available 24/7 and continues to evolve through analysis of passenger interactions. Birmingham Airport said this data helps it identify trends, recurring questions and opportunities to improve the customer journey.
Stuart Haseley-Nejrup, Head of Customer Strategy at Birmingham Airport, said: “At Birmingham Airport, we are always looking for innovative ways to improve the passenger experience. BABS has become an important part of how we support our customers, providing instant answers to thousands of enquiries while helping us better understand what matters most to our passengers.”
He added: “The success of BABS demonstrates how digital innovation can complement our customer service teams and help create a smoother, more informed journey through the airport.”
Personalisation and operational support under consideration
Birmingham Airport and Hello Lamp Post are exploring further enhancements to the platform, including greater personalisation, additional integrations with airport systems, expanded language capabilities and enhanced self-service options.
Future developments could see BABS supporting passengers across more of their journey, from arrival at the airport through to departure, on their own devices.
The airport is also exploring how BABS could expand beyond passenger support to assist colleagues and the wider operation, helping teams access timely information, improve coordination and support smoother day-to-day activity.
Haseley-Nejrup said: “As we continue to develop the platform, we are excited about the opportunities to deliver even more personalised support and further enhance the experience for everyone who travels through Birmingham Airport.”
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