Flying Messenger

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Heathrow handles over 469,000 air transport movements a year, carrying nearly 68 million passengers around the world.

Flying Messenger

Welcome to Flying Messenger. BAA's range of services for mobile devices. Designed to make your journey to, through and from our airports as smooth as possible, BAA's services give you access to the most up-to-date flight information wherever you are in the UK*.

We now offer the service on all mobile networks. We offer two easy to use services – the Flying Messenger (an instant status of the flight you are interested in) and Flying Messenger Plus (an enhanced service which updates you on the progress of your flight over a period of up to 12 hours or more).

We recommend you read the Terms and conditions before using either of our services.

Flying Messenger

This service gives you an instant status of any scheduled arriving flight from all BAA airports. You tell us the flight you're interested in and we'll automatically send you a text (SMS) alert with its current status. The airport shortcodes that you need to use when you contact us can be seen in the table below.

Please note Flying Messenger is now free at Heathrow for departing flights - register your flight in advance at heathrowairport.com/flyingmessenger.

How to use the Flying Messenger service

You send an SMS (text message) to 82222 with the following information:

Airport shortcode (see below)
Arriving flight number

Airport name	Airport short code
Heathrow	LHR
Gatwick	LGW
Stansted	STN
Glasgow	GLA
Edinburgh	EDI
Aberdeen	ABZ
Southampton	SOU

Example - for an arriving flight

lhr ba123

Example arriving SMS

We then send you an SMS with the flight's current arriving status – the information would be as below:

Example current status SMS

Flight: BA123
From: PARIS
Scheduled:15/01/06 11:45
Arriving: LHR Terminal 1
EXPECTED 11:56
ON APPROACH
Last updated 15/01/06 11:48

The Flying Messenger service costs 25p** plus standard network message rate (including VAT) for each request, and holds information on flights 4 hours after landing and up to 12 hours ahead of the current time. If you would like information more than 12 hours ahead, or require regular updates on the status of your arriving flight, please use the Flying Messenger Plus service.

PLEASE NOTE: This is an automated service. Only flight information requests will be recognised.

If you have any queries about this service please send an email to sms_feedback@baa.com. Please note emails will be responded to between 08:30 and 16:30, Monday to Friday.

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How to use Flying Messenger Plus

This service keeps you updated on the progress of the flight you are interested in, rather than the single snap-shot alert as provided by Flying Messenger. You need to specify the date as well as the other information that we ask you to provide for the basic Flying Messenger alerts.

You send a text message (SMS) to 82222 with the following information:

Airport Shortcode (as above)
Arriving flight Number
ARR (for arrivals information)
Date

For arrivals information

eg lhr ba123 arr 150106

Example arrivals SMS

We will then automatically send you a confirmation alert and up to three* status alerts.

Alert 1: Confirmation of receipt of request for service.

Alert 2: Status of flight 12 hours prior** to scheduled touch-down.

Alert 3: Updated status of flight when the flight is on its final approach.

Alert 4: Updated status when baggage is in the Arrivals Hall.

Example status SMS

For departures information

eg lhr ba123 dep 150106

Example departure SMS

You tell us the flight you are catching and we'll automatically send you a confirmation alert and up to three status alerts**.

Alert 1: Confirmation of receipt of request for service.
Alert 2: Status of flight 12 hours prior**** to scheduled departure.

Alert 3: Updated status of flight four hours prior to scheduled departure.

Alert 4: "GATE OPEN" will be sent when the departure gate number is announced and the airline is ready to board.

Example status SMS

Pricing information

The Flying Messenger Plus service costs 75p***** plus standard network message rate (including VAT) for each request and can be booked up to two weeks in advance. If you have a query about the Flying Messenger service please email us on sms_feedback@baa.com. Please note emails will be responded to between 08:30 and 16:30, Monday to Friday.

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* Subject to network availability.
** If you are using a pre-paid SIM card the service can only be used if you have enough credit to cover the cost of the service.
*** The number of alerts you receive will depend on how close to scheduled take-off/landing you request the service. You will only be charged for the alerts you receive.
**** If you request the Flying Messenger Plus service inside the 12-hour window the second alert is sent immediately.
***** If you are using a pre-paid SIM card the service can only be used if you have enough credit to cover the cost of the service.

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