First Time Setup (Comprehensive)

Detailed walkthrough for setting up LobbyFlight from scratch

15 min readLast updated: 12/4/2024234 found helpful

Comprehensive First-Time Setup Guide

This detailed guide walks you through every aspect of setting up LobbyFlight for the first time, ensuring nothing is missed and your display is perfectly configured.

Before You Begin - Preparation Checklist

What You'll Need:

Account Access:

  • ✅ Registration confirmation email
  • ✅ Portal login credentials (email & password)
  • ✅ Subscription activated (Basic/Pro/Premium)

    • Branding Assets:

  • ✅ Hotel logo file (PNG/JPG/SVG, max 2MB)
  • ✅ Brand colors (hex codes or color picker)
  • ✅ Hotel information for slides (optional)

    • Technical Requirements:

  • ✅ 32" Android display (or alternative device)
  • ✅ Chrome browser installed
  • ✅ Stable internet connection (WiFi/Ethernet)
  • ✅ Access to display device settings

    • Time Required: 15-20 minutes for complete setup

    Part 1: Account Activation & First Login

    Step 1: Locate Your Welcome Email

    After registration, you received an email with:

  • Your portal URL: https://lobbyflight.com/portal
  • Your login email
  • Initial setup instructions

    • Can't find the email?

  • Check spam/junk folder
  • Search for "LobbyFlight" or "RiFa"
  • Contact support if not received

    • Step 2: First Login

  • Navigate to: https://lobbyflight.com/portal
  • Enter your email address
  • Enter your password
  • Click "Sign In"

    • First Login Tips:

  • Bookmark the portal URL for quick access
  • Consider using a password manager
  • Enable "Remember Me" on secure devices

    • Step 3: Portal Dashboard Overview

    Upon login, you'll see your dashboard with:

    Setup Progress Tracker (Top)

  • Shows 6 setup steps
  • Green checkmarks for completed items
  • Click any step to jump to that section

    • Quick Actions (Center)

  • Settings: Configure airports and refresh
  • Branding: Upload logo and set colors
  • Preview: See your display and get URL
  • Content: Create information slides

    • Display Status (Right)

  • Connection status (Online/Offline)
  • Last update time
  • Active airports count
  • Current plan indicator

    • Part 2: Essential Configuration

    Step 4: Airport Selection

    Navigate to Settings → Airport Selection

    Understanding Airport Options:

  • Basic Plan: 1 airport only
  • Pro Plan: Up to 3 airports
  • Premium Plan: Unlimited airports

    • How to Select Airports:

    Method 1: Popular Airports Grid

    Click any airport tile:
┌──────────┬──────────┬──────────┐
│ VIE      │ MUC      │ FRA      │
│ Vienna   │ Munich   │Frankfurt │
├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┤
│ ZRH      │ BER      │ HAM      │
│ Zurich   │ Berlin   │ Hamburg  │
└──────────┴──────────┴──────────┘

    Method 2: Custom Airport Code

  • Enter IATA code (e.g., "LHR")
  • Click "Add" button
  • Airport appears in selected list

    • Method 3: Search by Name

  • Type city or airport name
  • Select from dropdown
  • Automatically added to list

    • Your Selected Airports:

  • Shown as blue badges
  • Click X to remove
  • Order determines display priority

    • Click "Save Settings" when done.

    Step 5: Configure Refresh Settings

    Still in Settings, configure your display behavior:

    Refresh Interval:

  • 2 minutes (Premium only - fastest)
  • 5 minutes (Recommended - balanced)
  • 10 minutes (Basic - conserves bandwidth)

    • Display Options:

  • ☑ Show Weather Widget (Pro/Premium)
  • ☑ Enable Info Rotation
  • ☑ Show Connection Status

    • Language Settings (if available):

  • Select active languages
  • Set rotation interval (30s - 2min)

    • Click "Save Settings" to apply.

    Part 3: Branding Customization

    Step 6: Upload Your Logo

    Navigate to Branding → Logo Upload

    Logo Requirements:

  • Format: PNG (preferred), JPG, SVG
  • Size: Maximum 2MB
  • Dimensions: Recommended 300x100px
  • Background: Transparent preferred

    • Upload Process:

  • Click "Choose File" or drag & drop
  • Select your logo file
  • Wait for upload (2-5 seconds)
  • Preview appears immediately

    • Logo Troubleshooting:

  • Too large? Resize at tinypng.com
  • Wrong format? Convert at cloudconvert.com
  • Not showing? Clear browser cache

    • Step 7: Set Brand Colors

    Still in Branding section:

    Primary Color (Required):

  • Used for: Headers, buttons, active states
  • Default: #0A2463 (Navy Blue)
  • Enter hex code or use color picker

    • Secondary Color (Required):

  • Used for: Accents, highlights
  • Default: #D4AF37 (Gold)
  • Should complement primary color

    • Color Selection Tips:

  • Use your official brand colors
  • Ensure good contrast for readability
  • Test with preview before saving
  • Consider color-blind accessibility

    • Click "Save Branding" when satisfied.

    Part 4: Content Setup (Optional but Recommended)

    Step 8: Create Information Slides

    Navigate to Content → Information Slides

    Information slides rotate with flight displays, showing hotel announcements.

    Available Slide Types:

  • Info: General announcements
  • Shuttle: Airport shuttle times
  • Restaurant: Dining hours/specials
  • Spa: Wellness offers
  • Events: Conferences/meetings
  • Amenities: Hotel services

    • Creating Your First Slide:

  • Click "+ New Slide"
  • Choose slide type
  • Enter title (e.g., "Airport Shuttle")
  • Enter content (multi-line supported):

    • ```

    Complimentary Shuttle Service

    Every 30 minutes

    5:00 AM - 11:00 PM

    Pick-up at main entrance

    ```

  • Set duration (15-60 seconds)
  • Click "Save Slide"

    • Pro Tips:

  • Keep text concise (max 4 lines)
  • Use clear, large fonts
  • Test readability from distance
  • Update regularly for relevance

    • Part 5: Display Setup

    Step 9: Get Your Display URL

    Navigate to Preview → Display Setup

    You'll see your unique display URL:

    https://lobbyflight.com/display/[your-hotel-id]

    Three Ways to Access:

    Option 1: Copy URL

  • Click "Copy Display URL"
  • Paste into display browser

    • Option 2: QR Code

  • Scan with Android device
  • Opens directly in browser

    • Option 3: Email to Device

  • Send URL to device email
  • Click link to open

    • Important: Save this URL! You'll need it for every display.

    Step 10: Android Display Configuration

    On your Android display device:

    Initial Setup:

  • Connect to Internet

    • - Settings → WiFi → Select network

    - Enter password if required

    - Verify connection works

  • Open Chrome Browser

    • - Tap Chrome icon

    - Accept terms if first use

    - Disable Chrome suggestions

  • Navigate to Display URL

    • - Tap address bar

    - Enter/paste your URL

    - Press Go/Enter

  • Wait for Initial Load

    • - Logo appears (5 seconds)

    - Flight data loads (10 seconds)

    - Full display ready (15 seconds)

    Make Display Permanent:

    Add to Home Screen:

  • Tap menu (⋮) in Chrome
  • Select "Add to Home screen"
  • Name: "LobbyFlight"
  • Tap "Add"
  • Icon appears on home screen

    • Set as Startup App (Optional):

  • Settings → Display → Screen saver
  • Select "LobbyFlight"
  • Set "When to start": Immediately

    • Part 6: Testing & Verification

    Step 11: Verify Display Elements

    Check that your display shows:

    Header Section:

  • ✅ Hotel name (left)
  • ✅ Hotel logo (if uploaded)
  • ✅ Current time (right)
  • ✅ Current date (right)
  • ✅ Weather widget (if enabled)

    • Flight Board:

  • ✅ Tab indicator (Departures/Arrivals)
  • ✅ Flight list (up to 12 flights)
  • ✅ Columns: Time, Flight, Destination, Status, Gate
  • ✅ Auto-refresh indicator (bottom)

    • Behavior:

  • ✅ Switches tabs every 30 seconds
  • ✅ Refreshes data every 5 minutes
  • ✅ Shows info slides (if created)

    • Step 12: Test Key Functions

    Test 1: Refresh

  • Note current time
  • Wait 5 minutes
  • Verify new data loads

    • Test 2: Offline Mode

  • Disconnect WiFi
  • Display should show cached data
  • Reconnect WiFi
  • Auto-reconnection occurs

    • Test 3: Info Rotation (if configured)

  • Watch for slide transitions
  • Verify all slides appear
  • Check timing matches settings

    • Part 7: Final Optimization

    Step 13: Performance Settings

    On Android Device:

    Disable Sleep Mode:

  • Settings → Display
  • Sleep → Never
  • Or use "Stay Awake" while charging

    • Optimize Chrome:

  • Chrome Settings → Privacy
  • Clear browsing data
  • Disable "Lite mode"
  • Disable "Preload pages"

    • Reduce Animations:

  • Settings → Developer options
  • Window animation scale: 0.5x
  • Transition animation scale: 0.5x

    • Step 14: Kiosk Mode (Recommended)

    For dedicated displays, lock to LobbyFlight:

    Option 1: Fully Kiosk Browser

  • Install from Play Store
  • Set URL to display URL
  • Enable kiosk mode
  • Configure auto-start

    • Option 2: Screen Pinning

  • Settings → Security
  • Enable "Screen pinning"
  • Open LobbyFlight
  • Pin the app

    • Troubleshooting Common Issues

    Display Won't Load

  • Check internet connection
  • Verify URL is correct
  • Clear Chrome cache
  • Restart device

    • No Flights Showing

  • Confirm airport code
  • Check subscription status
  • Verify API connection
  • Wait for refresh cycle

    • Logo/Colors Not Updating

  • Hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R)
  • Clear browser cache
  • Re-save branding
  • Check file size limits

    • Performance Issues

  • Close other apps
  • Clear device storage
  • Reduce animation scale
  • Use ethernet if possible

    • You're All Set! 🎉

    Congratulations on completing the comprehensive setup! Your LobbyFlight display is now:

  • ✅ Fully configured with your branding
  • ✅ Connected to real-time flight data
  • ✅ Optimized for 24/7 operation
  • ✅ Ready to serve your guests

    • What's Next?

    Enhance your setup with:

  • Multi-Language Configuration
  • Advanced Rotation Settings
  • Analytics Dashboard
  • Multiple Display Setup

    • Need Assistance?

    Our support team is here to help:

  • 📧 Email: support@rifadigital.com
  • 📞 Phone: +43 650 753 1811
  • 💬 In-app: Portal → Help
  • 🕐 Response: Within 24 hours

    • Thank you for choosing LobbyFlight! Your guests will love this premium amenity.

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