Bolt has launched two new features in New Zealand, Scheduled Rides and Flight Tracking, which will give travellers at Auckland Airport greater peace of mind when planning their journeys.
From today, customers can schedule rides up to 90 days in advance and also sync their flight details in the Bolt app when scheduling a ride from Auckland Airport. If their flight is delayed or cancelled, Bolt will automatically adjust the ride’s pick-up time or cancel the trip at no extra cost.
The feature forms part of Bolt’s growing investment in Scheduled Rides which has seen strong international demand. The rideshare company has seen a 70 percent increase in Scheduled Ride bookings globally over the past year as more riders choose pre-planned trips for work, events, and airport travel.
Bolt New Zealand General Manager Adam Muirson says introducing Flight Tracking with Scheduled Rides is about giving riders greater certainty and reducing the stress of travel days. “Whether people are landing late at night or coming home on a delayed flight, Bolt will be ready when they are. We’re focused on providing the most reliable and seamless airport experience possible for our riders and driver partners.”
Customers can be picked up from the clearly marked zones and in-app directions that guide them from the terminal to the pick-up area. Bolt’s airport operations are designed to minimise waiting times for both riders and drivers, with automatic barrier access for registered Bolt vehicles and real-time information in the Bolt Driver App about airport queue times.
Customers need to tap the ‘Schedule’ button on their home screen next to the destination search and enter the pick-up location (arrival airport) and destination from there to start scheduling their ride. They can choose ‘Add flight details’ and select the flight’s landing date, flight number, airline, or departure city and choose the specific flight. To inform the time their trip is updated to if their flight is delayed, customers will also need to choose how many minutes after landing they’d like to be picked up. From there, Bolt will automatically apply any updates in cases of delayed or cancelled flights.
While the feature will initially be available for pick-ups and drop-offs at Auckland Airport, Bolt expects to expand Scheduled Rides Flight Tracking to other New Zealand destinations as it grows.