New app allows strangers to communicate while waiting for a flight

A new app is designed to bring social and business airport users together without the need for any direct human interaction.

WaitList is an app designed to link people together while they’re waiting for their flights. You might be a solo flyer on a personal flight waiting in a departure lounge and looking for someone to share a coffee with while you wait, or even a potential business user looking for new opportunities. As the average flyer has to wait approximately an hour before their departure, WaitList can pair users up with someone who is in a similar situation to help the time go by a bit quicker.

The app works by using a pin wall for passengers to upload a virtual business card onto. The user simply uploads the kind of communication they are looking for, and then any other users at the airport can see who’s available and get in touch. As a large number of solo flyers travel between meetings, this service could be especially useful for those looking to extend their contacts or explore new business opportunities with fellow businesspeople alike.

The idea by German startup is still in beta version. Whilst the app might not appeal to everyone, we have seen many other new business ideas aimed at travellers, such as multi-sensory scotch bars, and smart audio luggage tags with location-based travel tips. Can you think of other ways that airports and airlines can use technology to help those waiting in departure lounges?