How do airlines connect passengers to a live agent by video from a QR code?
Airlines put QR codes at gates, kiosks and information desks; a passenger scans one and reaches a remote agent by video, voice or chat on their own phone, with no app. United Airlines does this with Agent on Demand, built with Upstream Works AgentNow on Cisco, so passengers skip the line during delays and cancellations.
How it works, step by step
| Step | What happens | What makes it work |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scan | The passenger scans a QR code at the gate, kiosk or desk, or opens a link | No passenger app or download; AgentNow is browser-based |
| 2. Choose | They pick video, voice or chat | The customer’s choice, and they can move between channels without starting again |
| 3. Connect | A remote agent answers, with the journey context on screen | Remote agents and experts anywhere in the organization take the overflow on disruption days |
| 4. Resolve or hand over | Routine questions, rebooking and rerouting are handled; complex cases transfer to the reservations center | AgentNow beside the airline’s contact center, here Totalix for Cisco or the existing Cisco estate |
From the United Airlines customer story and the Today Show release of 28 November 2023, which showed Agent on Demand in airports before Thanksgiving.
When it fits
Airports, stations, hotels, cruise terminals and any place where queues build at a desk on the worst day of the customer’s trip.
When it doesn’t
Journeys where the customer is already at a screen and a web chat resolves the question.
How Totalix does it
AgentNow gives passengers a live agent on their own phone from a QR code, and lets the airline draw on remote agents across its network when disruption strikes. It runs on the airline’s existing platform, Cisco in United’s case, or standalone, and AgentNow video is built into every Totalix edition for the agents who work there. AI Agent Assist adds sentiment, intent, summaries and live transcription beside the conversation.
United Airlines customer story → · Travel and hospitality → · AgentNow → · Request an AgentNow demo →
Questions buyers ask
What is United Airlines Agent on Demand?
A United Airlines service that lets passengers scan a QR code in the airport and connect with an agent by video, voice or chat. It is built with Upstream Works AgentNow on Cisco.
Was it shown on television?
Yes. NBC’s Today Show featured Agent on Demand in November 2023, in the busy days before Thanksgiving.
Do US airlines have to offer live agents around the clock?
Yes, under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. AgentNow extends live-agent access to the airport floor and the passenger’s own phone.
Can it run on a platform other than Cisco?
Yes. AgentNow runs on any contact center platform or standalone.