National carrier Air India has launched a new chatbot on WhatsApp to assist travellers in over 1,300 travel-related topics and with many new features.

Air India, India’s flag carrier, has launched extended access to its Generative AI-powered virtual travel assistant on WhatsApp.

In a press statement, Air India says that the multilingual chatbot’s seamless accessibility on WhatsApp opens up a new guest support channel for Air India. It will help travellers ask questions across a wide spectrum of over 1,300 travel-related topics and access a host of features.

Air India says that through a simple WhatsApp chat, this new feature will enable real-time flight status and baggage information, downloading boarding pass or getting a copy of their e-tickets, selecting seats, checking the status of customer support requests generated online, and asking many other common questions, without having to call the airline’s customer contact centre.

Catering to a growing base of Air India’s customers around the world, the chatbot speaks four languages: Hindi, English, French, and German. Guests can chat with with using the WhatsApp number +91 96670 34444.

“At Air India, we are constantly innovating to make every touchpoint in the travel journey seamless and delightful for our guests. Bringing AI.g to WhatsApp is a testament to that commitment. The accessibility and immediacy of WhatsApp align perfectly with our vision for customer service, we want to be where our guests are, providing them with instant, relevant information and assistance at their fingertips, 24/7,” says Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Air India.

The airline says that the use of Generative AI technology helps the chatbot to understand what travellers ask and answer in a normal, friendly way. It can also learn from questions it cannot immediately answer, which helps it become more efficient and effective over time. This means faster answers in an automated fashion for things like booking, baggage allowance or changing flights. This frees up the Air India team to help with complex and value-adding interactions, says the airline.