• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechApple Watch

British Airways to Expand Apple Watch Support

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 1, 2015, 6:13 PM ET
Apple Watch / Smartphone Scanner for Boarding PassesTaken: 27th November 2015 at Heathrow Terminal 5British AirwaysPicture by: Stuart Bailey / British Airways
Apple Watch / Smartphone Scanner for Boarding Passes Picture by: Stuart Bailey / British Airways

The next time you travel through Heathrow Airport, you can expect to see new Apple Watch-friendly barcode scanners aimed at making the check-in process easier.

On Tuesday, British Airways announced its plans for installing the new “Scan and Go” devices at Heathrow airport by Dec. 15. Customers will find the new scanners in Terminals 3 and 5.

Similar functionality is available from other airlines in the U.S., although scanning the boarding pass on an Apple Watch at the ticket counter is an awkward affair. Typically there’s no room to place your wrist underneath the scanner to get an accurate reading of the barcode.

The new scanners (pictured above) are handheld, which will eliminate the need to twist and turn your arm as you try to line up the barcode on your wrist with the placement of the scanner.

Customers can continue to check in to flights with a digital boarding pass, either via Apple Watch or a smartphone using the British Airways mobile app. Currently, 5% of British Airways mobile app usage comes from Apple’s wrist-worn gadget.

Additional features of the British Airways Apple Watch app include real-time flight information, such as gate changes and a departure countdown timer. Naturally, the scanners will continue to work with the mobile app on smartphones providing the same functionality.

“When we saw the dramatic rise in the number of people using the app on their Apple Watches, we knew we needed to create new features in the terminal which would make the experience even better for them,” said Kevin McQuillan, who’s in charge of the British Airways website and mobile app.

The British Airways announcement was preceded by a study from research firm Wristly. The study revealed 45% of 340 dissatisfied Apple Watch owners quit using the device within the two weeks of purchase, with 89% of participants reporting he or she stopped wearing it due to not finding enough value in the wearable’s overall functionality.

But usage numbers released by British Airways tell a somewhat different story—at least for users of its mobile app. Between June and October, the company saw its Apple Watch app use increase 386%. It’s an impressive number, but one that was likely padded as the Apple Watch become more widely available following its April launch.

It’s still far too early to deem the Apple Watch a success or a failure. For competitive reasons, Apple (AAPL) doesn’t disclose Apple Watch sales numbers, but IDC estimates the company is behind Fitbit (FIT) in wearable market share, at 19.9% and 24.3% respectively.

However, research firm Canalys estimates Apple has sold 7 million devices since launch. According to the same report, no other smart watch maker shipped over 300,000 devices in the third quarter.

Correction: In an earlier version of the story, Fortune failed to properly identify those who participated in the Wristly survey as dissatisfied Apple Watch owners. Fortune regrets the error.

For more information about the Apple Watch, check out this Fortune video:

 

Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

A ULA Atlas V-551 rocket lifts off with 27 new Amazon Leo satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on December 14, 2025. (Photo: Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Why Amazon bought Globalstar for $11.6 billion
By Andrew NuscaApril 15, 2026
5 minutes ago
Jeremy Renner
AIHealth
Exclusive: Jeremy Renner bets on the tech that could have saved his life faster: ‘There’s 150 people that are responsible for me not dying’
By Catherina GioinoApril 15, 2026
45 minutes ago
The hidden menace behind Big Tech’s AI arms race: Meta, Amazon and others are spending billions on hardware that’s worthless in 3 years
AIFinance
The hidden menace behind Big Tech’s AI arms race: Meta, Amazon and others are spending billions on hardware that’s worthless in 3 years
By Shawn TullyApril 15, 2026
3 hours ago
The billionaire Anthropic cofounder who majored in literature says knowing how to ask the right questions beats knowing how to code
SuccessTech
The billionaire Anthropic cofounder who majored in literature says knowing how to ask the right questions beats knowing how to code
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 14, 2026
13 hours ago
TOKYO, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 3: Open AI CEO Sam Altman speaks during a talk session with SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at an event titled "Transforming Business through AI" in Tokyo, Japan, on February 03, 2025. SoftBank and OpenAI announced that they have agreed a partnership to set up a joint venture for artificial intelligence services in Japan today. (Photo by Tomohiro Oh
CybersecuritySam Altman
From Molotov cocktails to data center shutdowns, the AI backlash is turning revolutionary
By Eva RoytburgApril 14, 2026
14 hours ago
Dow COO Karen Carter wearing a white lab coat and sitting while smiling
C-SuiteNext to Lead
Dow’s CEO pick elevates a seasoned insider at a pivotal moment for the chemical giant
By Ruth UmohApril 14, 2026
16 hours ago

Most Popular

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
Success
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
By Fortune EditorsApril 13, 2026
2 days ago
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
Commentary
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
24 hours ago
He was coding at 12 like Elon Musk and became one of Google’s youngest-ever CMOs—but now says Gen Z is better off ice skating than learning to code
Success
He was coding at 12 like Elon Musk and became one of Google’s youngest-ever CMOs—but now says Gen Z is better off ice skating than learning to code
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Anthropic is facing a wave of user backlash over reports of performance issues with its Claude AI chatbot
AI
Anthropic is facing a wave of user backlash over reports of performance issues with its Claude AI chatbot
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of April 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of April 13, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 13, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of April 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 14, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
22 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.