Talk may be cheap but it can be useful in dealing with flights if you own an Amazon Echo device and fly with United Airlines.

United has become the first US carrier to offer a “skill” using Amazon’s Alexa voice recognition service to allow customers to check in and ask a variety of questions about flights.

Passengers can ask questions about the amenities on board a flight or check on how it’s going by simply asking: “Alexa, ask United what is the status of my flight to San Francisco’’.

Customers whose Mileage Plus frequent flyer accounts are connected to Alexa will be able to check in using the command: “Alexa, ask United to check me in’’.

“Every day we connect nearly 400,000 customers to business meetings, loved ones and new adventures,” said Praveen Sharma, vice president of digital products and analytics at United.  “Introducing the new skill to check in and receive flight information with Alexa is an innovation that gives our customers extra time to prep for a business meeting, play with their children or relax as they get ready for their upcoming flight.”

United is not alone in investing in technology with airports and airlines expected to spend almost $US33 billion globally on IT this year.

A report released this week by l technology firm SITA found the top agendas for both airlines and airports were investments in cyber security and cloud services.

This included investments in passenger self-service and the use of mobile devices.

The SITA  IT Trends Insights 2017 report found airlines were sharply focused on mobile services, with 73 per cent currently providing check-in by mobile devices, 70 per cent providing boarding and 68 percent status notifications.

This was expected to top 97 per cent by 2020.

A key growth area was real-time flight updates over social media, something currently done by less than a third of airlines but forecast to be adopted by more than 90 per cent in the next three years.

The search is also on for a killer app: 94 per cent of airlines rated streamlining services into a single app as a priority, with more than half saying it was a “high priority”.

“Mobile app capabilities and usability are developing quickly and an increasing number of airlines plan to use mobile as a customer service tool, including at times of disruption,’’ the report said.

Self-service was a buzzword with airports, with almost 90 per cent planning to invest in self-service check-in, bag drop and boarding facilities.

Read: Dubai Airport to introduce new facial recognition technology.

“Airports operators have a keen focus on improving the journey through the terminal and are looking to new technologies such as the Internet of Things, beacons and sensors, to support their goals,’’ the report said.  “SITA’s insights show that 80 per cent are investing, or planning to invest, in these technologies over the next three years.”

The big squeeze on the highly competitive trans-Atlantic market is set to continue next summer with British Airways bringing in new “densified” Boeing 777-200 aircraft from May.

BA is joining a number of airlines, including Cathay Pacific, that are moving to 10-across economy seating on B777s. They join airlines such as Air New Zealand, Emirates, Etihad and American Airlines.

Originally designed for nine-across economy seating, much of the global B777 fleet now has the denser configuration as airlines try to accommodate a new era of lower fares and increased competition on many routes.

In the case of BA, the move will see an extra 52 seats added to the three-class plane as the seat count rises from 280.

It comes as the British carrier is also introducing higher-capacity Airbus A320s with the number of seats increasing to 180 from 168 and A321s with 218 seats, up from 205.

The move is designed to increase “capital efficiency’’ and keep seat-costs comparable with aggressive competitors such as Norwegian, which operates fuel-efficient Boeing 787s across the Atlantic.

Read our review of British Airways.

The airline said when the move was revealed in 2016 that it was making the change to bring it into line with its competitors.

“As part of the update, we will also be fitting new entertainment systems,’’ it said at the time.

“British Airways continues to offer customers a generous hand baggage allowance and complimentary food and drink on all our long-haul services.”

The “elbow wars” begin on routes from London Gatwick to Caribbean and US destinations from early May, according to website Routesonline.

The first currently scheduled departure is May 7 between Gatwick and the Jamaican capital of Kingston.

This will be followed that month by Gatwick-Punta Cana, Gatwick-Orlando and Gatwick-Cancun.

Gatwick-Tampa will join in June, Gatwick New York (JFK) in July and Gatwick-Fort Lauderdale in September.

The change sees BA adopt a 3-4-3 configuration in the “densified’’ B777s compared to 3-3-3 in the older planes.

This often involves the introduction of narrower seats, although BA has yet to update its seat maps to include the new configuration.

Seats on the airline’s current three-class Boeing 777-200s are either 17.5 (44.5cms) or 18.1 inches wide with a 31-inch seat pitch, according to SeatGuru.

Would you be prepared to be biochipped and regularly monitored in order to be able to travel more freely?

This is one of the scenarios raised in a new report on the future of the airline industry that also recommends a working group be set up to look at automation in aircraft.

The speculative report doesn’t come from the pen of a science fiction author but from the School of International Futures and was commissioned by the International Air Transport Association’s industry affairs committee.

It is designed to generate discussion and looks at a number of scenarios and the drivers that could bring them into being by 2035.

Those drivers cover a wide range of subjects from societal and technological change to environmental, economic and political developments.

The biochipping suggestion is part of a “New Frontiers” scenario where there has been a shift in power to the East and competition for economic and military power moves to new frontiers, including space.

Access to information is open and democractised but there remain problems in areas such as  cybercrime and  the use of data by states to conduct surveillance.

In this world, governments continually monitor the financial transaction of citizens, there is bioscreening in showers, autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence dominates frontline service.

But global instability, the emergence of “bio-bombs” and an increase in transnational cybercrime has made travellers nervous.

“People are willing to pay more for low-risk flights,’’ the report speculates. “And airlines are keen to reduce risks too – every individual now has a risk rating.

“Those who agree to be ‘biochipped’ and regularly monitored can travel more freely and AAA+ travelers get prioritized access. Since 2032, everyone in Europe has been chipped at birth.”

Although it doesn’t use the artistic names of a similar study by global booking giant Amadeus, the IATA document approaches the problem of predicting an uncertain future in a similar way.

It sees the critical uncertainties as geopolitics — including, terrorism, cyber warfare, trade and governance — and whether data will be open and connected or closed.

Three other scenarios are considered alongside “New Frontiers”:  “Resource Wars”, “Sustainable Futures” and “Platforms”.

“Sustainable Futures” sees a peaceful, multi-polar world in which there is strong international governance and open access to information.

Advances in big data, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence all have a positive impact on society, innovation allows sustainability and new trade routes open up.

“Resource Wars”, arguably the darkest of the four scenarios, sees a turbulent world in which “an aggressive, nationalistic China threatens a US  distracted by continued conflict”.

This scenario sees a wave of territorial disputes in the Middle east and Asia, the emergence of resource trading blocs and limits on movements between rich and poor countries.

“Data asymmetries exist between countries, and governments increasingly use data to monitor and control their citizens.,’’ the report says.

“Platforms” sets a stage in which the US and China have co-operated to open international trade and corporations play an increasing role in the economy.

A dominant elite controls data and data platforms, Africa is sidelined and many countries see a disempowered public increasingly dissatisfied with the political elite

Recommendations in the report begin with a call for continued support for bodies involved in setting global standards, such as the UN-Backed International Civil Aviation Organisation, as well as increased engagement with new institutions such as the Global Development Bank.

The report suggests IATA push for greater flexibility in routing and scheduling to allow airlines to deal with conflicts and other major disruptions.

Other recommendations include a set of emergency response guidelines and procedures that airlines could implement rapidly in turbulent times and the establishment of  a global industry-wide position on data protection.

One certain to get the attention of pilots includes the establishment of working group of both manned and unmanned operators to facilitate standard-setting and information sharing.

US manufacturer Boeing said earlier this year that it would examine pilotless aircraft and test the technology in a simulator.

“Technology in self-driving cars may pave the way for more relaxed attitudes to automation,’’  the report says.

“At the same time, there will be risks around the co-existence of piloted and pilotless flights in the same airspace (a risk already present with drones).

“Technology already enables pilotless flights. Freight shipment represents an opportunity for airlines to develop cutting-edge technology without watering down their commitment to passenger safety.’’

United Airlines will fly its San Francisco-Auckland seasonal service from October 31 with six flights a week using a bigger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft equipped with its Polaris business seat.

The airline will fly the route six days a week until December 17 when it will boost services to daily until March 24. The Boeing 777-300ER replaces a Boeing 787 used last New Zealand summer.

United, a Star Alliance partner with Air New Zealand, announced earlier this year that it would not fly between April and October because of slower demand during those months.

“Starting this spring in New Zealand we will resume our popular Auckland-San Francisco service with a larger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft,” Australia and New Zealand sales director Julie Reid said in a statement.

“Over the years we have seen an overwhelming demand during this popular summer season and we are excited to offer not just the new United Polaris business class but also an increased capacity.”

United’s 777-300ERs come with 204 seats in economy, 102 in economy plus and 60 Polaris seats. This compares with 113 economy, 70 economy plus and 36 Polaris seats on its Boeing 787-8.

Flights leave San Francisco at 10:45pm and arrive two days later at 8:55am Auckland time after a journey of just over 13 hours. Those heading north will leave Auckland at 3:30pm and arrive in San Francisco at 6:50am the same day.

United’s Polaris business offering was launched late last year and the airline has labelled the suite its most significant product transformation in more than a decade.

In addition to with revamped service and new amenity kits,  it features direct aisle access and a generous lie-flat seat with good storage, multiple work surfaces, USB ports and a 16-inch high-definition video screen.

A marble-topped bar unit offers customers in business class a place to grab a mid-flight drink or snack.

Rival American Airlines flies to Auckland and also plans to operate a seasonal schedule between October and March.

Read also: United goes ultra long-haul to Singapore.

An Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 has drawn a huge heart in the sky while operating a special Koru Care flight – taking kids on a mystery journey.

The 787 drew a 440 km long and 483 km wide heart shape across the north island of New Zealand.

The flight departed Auckland, with a guest list that included 50 New Zealand children with critical medical conditions such as cancer and heart disease, and their caregivers.

In a global-first, the airline then live streamed the top-secret route in partnership with FlightRadar24 and gradually revealed the heart shaped flight plan during a Facebook Live broadcast, enabling followers on the ground to join in the kids’ excitement.

Air New Zealand has supported Koru Care for more than 30 years and donates around 100 airfares every year for overseas holidays for children living with serious medical conditions.

Air New Zealand Chief People Officer Jodie King volunteered on today’s flight and says the airline wanted to host a flight for children who have been unable to join Koru Care’s international trips due to the nature of their medical condition or personal situation.

“Many of the children had never been on a plane before – let alone a Dreamliner. Today’s flight gave these brave Kiwi kids the chance to experience the excitement of flying and our people really pulled out the stops to make it a magical day.”

Various organizations helped make the Air New Zealand Koru Care flight possible – including Panasonic Avionics, BP, Auckland Airport, Airways New Zealand, LSG catering, Fonterra, Delish Cupcakes, Urban Gourmet and SkyBus.