AA Adds Line-Busting Mobile YADA Device

American Airlines agents in eight key markets are now better equipped to serve customers from anywhere in the airport, the airline announced today. Using the hand-held unit called YADA— which stands for Your Assistance Delivered Anywhere— agents now have the ability to print boarding passes and baggage tags, check flights, provide connecting information and even pull up maps of other airports for customers.

The new technology will be deployed in Dallas-Fort Worth; Albuquerque; Boston; Chicago; New York, both at JFK and LaGuardia; Miami; St. Louis; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, now have the ability to print. 

American’s goal is to eventually have a YADA device at every gate, making it part of a message suite that gives the airline the ability to communicate quickly with agents across the system in the event of an off-schedule operation— such as a weather event that can cause flight delays and cancellations.

Additionally, agents will be able to use the device during especially heavy travel days as a line buster and to effect simple transactions for passengers. American launched a pilot of YADA in Boston in Summer 2009.

Visit www.AA.com.