One Year In, PIT’s ‘We Got You’ Strengthens the Passenger Experience

At Pittsburgh International Airport, a flight is more than a departure and arrival. It is a journey that depends on coordination among airlines, airport teams and hundreds of other people working behind the scenes.

When that journey doesn’t go according to plan, PIT’s We Got You program helps passengers navigate what comes next.

Launched as an innovative approach to passenger service, We Got You is celebrating its first anniversary and playing a growing role in PIT’s daily operations. The program blends human assistance with AI-powered technology, giving frontline airport team members the information and tools they need to help travelers in real time.

For PIT’s airline partners, that means another resource working alongside their teams to help passengers navigate the airport when circumstances change – from flight delays and gate changes to transportation questions and other unexpected challenges.

“We Got You has transformed the way our frontline teams stay connected and respond to passengers,” said April Laukaitis, manager, customer experience, at Pittsburgh International Airport. “The iPads give our ambassadors access to live information and the ability to quickly deploy support wherever it’s needed in the terminal. After a year, we’ve seen how much confidence that gives our team. They know they have the most current information and the support of the larger team right at their fingertips.”

We Got You provides volunteer airport ambassadors and customer care agents with handheld devices preloaded with AI-driven technology. The tools provide access to real-time airport information, interactive terminal maps, language translation, flight tracking, hotel and transportation information, and communication tools that let frontline employees connect for live updates and assistance.

A partner to the passenger journey

The program was created with a simple premise: when passengers need help, the answer should be as accessible as possible.

That is particularly important in an airport environment, where the responsibility for a passenger’s journey is shared. Airlines manage flights, crews, aircraft and many aspects of the customer relationship, while airports provide the infrastructure, information and services that surround the flight.

We Got You helps connect those pieces.

Sandy and Gary Smith have been airport ambassadors for 25 years, long enough to remember when finding information meant flipping through a Rolodex or notebook. They would sort through cards and pages to find the answer a traveler needed. Today, their iPad puts that information at their fingertips, allowing them to quickly find what they need and share it with travelers almost instantly.

“The iPads and the We Got You program are especially important when a flight is delayed or diverted and passengers suddenly find themselves spending the night in Pittsburgh,” Gary Smith said. “We can quickly pull up hotel and ground transportation information and help them figure out what to do next. They never expected to be spending a night here, so they’re very appreciative when we can get them the information they need and help make a difficult situation a little easier.”

Built around a more accessible airport

We Got You is one part of PIT’s broader approach to passenger experience and Universal Access.

The new terminal was designed to be a welcoming space for all travelers by easing mobility challenges, reducing physical strain, minimizing stressors and stimuli, embracing cognitive diversity, considering caregivers and supporting the use of personal devices.

Universal Access is embedded throughout the terminal and is spearheaded by PIT’s Experience & Design team, one of two dedicated service-design teams at an airport.

We Got You grew from the same data-driven approach. Research conducted by the Experience & Design team identified gaps in how passengers could access assistance throughout the airport and helped shape a solution that combines technology with the human connection passengers often need most.

One year later, that solution has become part of the ambassador team’s daily routine.

The Smiths say they typically use the iPad three to five times a day, primarily to look up information they don’t know offhand. Whether a traveler is asking about a gate change, ground transportation or hotel phone number, the iPad helps them quickly find the answer and get the traveler on their way. It’s another tool that allows them to spend less time searching for information and more time helping people.

Helping airlines deliver a better experience

The program complements the expertise of PIT’s airline partners and airport operations teams.

That distinction is particularly valuable during irregular operations, when passengers may need information from multiple sources and airport ambassadors can help direct them to the right one.

For example, while an airline may be managing a delayed flight or rebooking a passenger, PIT’s frontline teams can help passengers navigate the terminal, locate amenities, understand transportation options, or find the next point of assistance.

In that way, We Got You extends the airport’s role beyond the gate and helps create a more seamless experience around the flight itself.