The real-world downstream effects of AI adoption and implementation.
Nearly 85 million travelers passed through Heathrow Airport in 2025. Amid the hustle and bustle, they had plenty of questions: How long will it take to get through security? Which Starbucks is closest to my departure gate? If my bag was left behind at security, how can I find it?
Peter Burns, Heathrow's director of digital, e-commerce, and marketing, told Business Insider that he wanted to improve customer service at Europe's busiest airport, where demand keeps increasing. "As we grow capacity, we have to find a technology solution," he said. To do that, Heathrow spent the past three years deepening its longtime partnership with Salesforce, which started in 2009, Burns said.
Heathrow first implemented Salesforce's generative and agentic AI products in 2023, with a focus on customer service applications. These initial tests led to the launch of Hallie, the airport's customer service AI agent that lives on WhatsApp and answers nearly all traveler questions without human help, in March 2025, said Burns. Since finding earlier this year that Hallie significantly reduced the number of customer calls to the airport, Heathrow is looking to further implement the tool on its website and app.
