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Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is trialling the uDrop self-service bag drop solution – the latest in a number of bag drop trials by Aéroports de Paris.

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport’s trial of the uDrop solution follows Aéroports de Paris’ pilots of bag drop solutions from Type22 and Phase 5 Technology.

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport has started another self-service bag drop trial, this time alongside Cofely Airport Services, which has supplied the airport with its uDrop solution, which can be configured to offer either a one- or two-step process.

Aéroports de Paris is working with various suppliers to help identify the solution that best suits its requirements. As we reported in February, four Scan&Fly self-service bag drop units were installed at Paris CDG in a separate pilot, while Phase 5 Technology has also previously supplied a system for a trial programme at Paris-Orly Airport.

Referring to the latest trial, Cofely Airport Services Vice President Pierre Loyer said: “Our goal with this trial is to improve our passengers’ experience and provide a solution the airport is comfortable using”. He added: “It takes only about 30-40 seconds per passengers to use; it’s very quick.”

Loyer also explained that he sees bag drop as the “next logical step toward passenger empowerment”. “It increases check-in capacity without any terminal building extension and improves the passenger experience,” he added.

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Paris CDG partners with Cofely for latest bag drop trial

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Austrian Airlines is trialling four Scan&Fly self-service bag drop units in the Austrian Star Alliance Terminal Check-in 3 at Vienna Airport.

Julian Jaeger, Member of the Management Board of Vienna Airport, and Karsten Benz, Chief Commercial Officer, Austrian Airlines, officially unveiled the self-service bag drop machines that are now being trialled.

Austrian Airlines has started trialling four self-service bag drop units at Vienna Airport’s Austrian Star Alliance Terminal Check-in 3. Passengers who have already checked-in for their flight can go straight to the bag drop counter where they can print and attach their bag tags, and deposit their luggage into the baggage handling system without any assistance from an airline agent. The Scan&Fly self-service bag drop machines have been supplied by Type22.

Karsten Benz, Chief Commercial Officer, Austrian Airlines, said: “With this step we are following the international trend. Many passengers want modern and quick check-in services, which are convenient and save time. In particular, frequent flyers and business travellers appreciate the possibility to start their journey without long waiting times.”

While a definite timeframe for the pilot has not been revealed, the carrier has stated that it will continue for “several months”, and customer feedback will play an important role in deciding if the solution should be implemented permanently.

Julian Jaeger, Member of the Management Board of Vienna Airport, added: “New services such as booking flights and checking in using the Internet, as well as the mobile boarding pass on mobile phones, have become indispensible in air travel. By testing the self-service baggage drop-off, we are offering passengers another way of completing the necessary travel formalities in a time saving manner, and also taking a new innovative step forward at Vienna Airport.”

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Austrian Airlines starts self-service bag drop trial at Vienna Airport

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Passengers flying from Halifax Stanfield International Airport can now make use of self-service bag drop regardless of which airline they are flying with.

Halifax International Airport Authority has worked closely with its customer airlines, CATSA, IBM and BEUMER Group to upgrade its baggage system and introduce common use self-service bag drop.

Halifax Stanfield International Airport has introduced a new common use self-service bag drop system, which can be used by all passengers regardless of which airline they are flying with.

Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) has been working with a number of airlines to develop the new self-service system. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and BEUMER Group, the latter of which is the airport’s baggage system contractor, have also been closely involved in the development, and the bag drop units have been supplied by IBM.

Joyce Carter, President & CEO of HIAA, said: “This new, fully automated, self-serve baggage drop system uses the latest technology to simplify the check-in process for airline passengers. With airline customer service agents available to assist passengers if necessary, this improved level of service speeds up the check-in process and makes it possible for passengers to avoid line-ups at counters.”

FTE Global 2014, 24-26 September, Las Vegas, will include the Baggage Advancements Forum, in which senior speakers from the likes of McCarran International Airport, Air France-KLM, IATA and Avinor will share their visions for the future of baggage handling.

Among the airlines that can now offer their passengers the option of using the self-service bag drop units is WestJet, and Jon Quinton, the carrier’s Station Manager, commented: “We welcome any airport improvements that enrich the travel experience for our guests. This new system helps travellers move through the check-in process more quickly, and frees up our team members to get out from behind the counters and assist those guests who need a little extra attention.”

The launch of self-service bag drop is part of HIAA’s wider strategy to improve facilities and the passenger experience. For example, the baggage handling system has been modernised, the domestic and international US preclearance check-in halls have been upgraded, and the terminal exterior has been renovated as part of the ongoing 10-year capital plan.

Keep an eye out for our full interview with Halifax International Airport Authority’s VP Infrastructure & Development, Michael Healy, in next week’s FTE. 

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Halifax Stanfield Airport launches common use self-service bag drop for all passengers

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FTE spoke to Halifax International Airport Authority to find out more about North America’s first fully common use self-service check-in hall.

A total of 11 airlines are making use of Halifax Stanfield International Airport’s self-service bag drop system. The image on the left, showing no queues, is now a common sight in the terminal.

The new-look check-in hall at Halifax Stanfield International Airport is significant for a number of reasons. Firstly, the scale of self-service on display is a rare sight in a North American airport. Secondly, the development and implementation of the self-service bag drop system required close collaboration between the airport and key airline partners, with no fewer than 11 airlines all using the mutually beneficial solution. And thirdly, the project was directly inspired by Future Travel Experience!

In May 2013, Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) set out on a mission to upgrade and expand the main check-in hall of the terminal building at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. A little over a year later, the single-storey facility has been transformed into a spacious, two-storey concourse, with a modern baggage handling system and 16 common use self-service bag drop units.

“The check-in hall was becoming increasingly congested during peak periods,” explained Michael Healy, Vice President, Infrastructure & Commercial Development, HIAA. “We could have addressed this by building more space and expanding the hall, but we believed that new processes and technology offered a better solution.”

FTE was delighted to learn that the Future Travel Experience Global events provided a key source of inspiration for Healy and the HIAA team during the planning and development phases. “HIAA has been attending FTE conferences since they started in 2006,” Healy stated. “It is through the knowledge we’ve gained through these conferences, and the contacts we’ve made there, that we’ve been able to create an outstanding experience for our passengers.”

Eleven airlines, one common goal

WestJet together with Air Canada accounts for around 80% of traffic in the self-service check-in hall at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. HIAA’s Healy said uptake since the launch of the self-service bag drop has “far exceeded our expectations”.

With a total of 11 airlines operating from the terminal, HIAA identified a common use solution as key to improving passenger flow and optimising throughput. Two airlines – Air Canada and WestJet – account for around 80% of traffic, but all 11 airlines had an important role to play in the project. So, how exactly does the finished product work?

“The two airlines which carry a combined total of 80% of the passenger base are using a fully developed two-step check-in model in which the passengers use self-service kiosks to print boarding passes and bag tags before proceeding to bag drops,” Healy explained. “The remaining airlines issue bag tags at an agent-assisted counter and then the passenger proceeds to the bag drop to self-check their bags.”

However, the facility has been designed in such a way that when each of the other airlines develop full self-tagging capabilities, they will be able to seamlessly switch to a full self-service model.

HIAA’s commitment to leveraging technology

“In Halifax, over the last number of years, the organisation has made strategic investments in ‘enabling’ technologies to allow new and innovative technology solutions to take shape quickly. This new bag drop solution is one of those solutions,” Mike Maxwell, Director, Business Solutions and Information Technology at HIAA, told FTE.

The airport was already operating with the latest CUPPS and CUSS compliant common use platform, it has robust wired and wireless networks, and an industry leading data integration platform. This integration platform is what makes the entire solution work by ensuring that each and every bag has a message received from the airline and, in turn, the bag processing messages are returned.

With these technology services and insight into the future of the industry, the airport authority was able to work with partners who are experts in their functional areas, and bring together a significant accomplishment that will help define new check-in halls across the continent.

Two-step bag drop

As for the bag drops themselves, the units were supplied by IBM and run a CUSS 1.3 platform. Air Canada has deployed its own application for passenger processing, and the other 10 carriers take advantage of the common use application provided by the airport, which was developed in partnership with FTE Global 2014 exhibitor Brock Solutions.

Healy explained that HIAA was keen to find the solution that was “as automated as possible for the passenger”. He added: “One of the critical features was it needed to run on a CUSS platform, as the airlines told us they wanted to be able to run their own applications.”

Outlining the reasons behind opting for a two-step process, Healy explained that one of the airport’s primary objectives was to “reduce passenger queuing in the check-in process”. He continued: “There are enough self-service check-in kiosks and self-service bag drops so that any passenger using the full two-step model will rarely need to line up. Most passengers are through the entire process in less than two minutes from the time they arrive at the kiosks, to the time they’re finished and walk away from the bag drop.”

What was previously a single-storey, dated facility has been transformed into this two-storey, spacious check-in hall, which makes use of the latest self-service technologies to improve passenger and baggage processing.

He continued: “To achieve this result using a one-step system, significantly more self-serve bag drops would be required to handle the load. After considering the cost and physical implications of this model, we concluded that the two-step system would work best for Halifax.”

There is, however, one “anomaly” in the terminal, to cater specifically for Air Canada’s premium passengers. To offer them an alternative to the self-service check-in and bag drop, Air Canada has two customer service desks at one end of the check-in hall, which are connected to the baggage handling system, for those travellers that prefer face-to-face customer service.

Self-service uptake ‘exceeding expectations’

While the development of this truly 21^st century check-in hall is an accomplishment in its own right, the best news is that passengers have responded overwhelmingly positively to the ‘do-it-yourself’ approach. Healy said uptake has “far exceeded our expectations”, which sets a great precedent for the future.

Healy, Maxwell and HIAA as a whole are rightfully proud to have developed such a comprehensive and effective self-service offer for its customers, and FTE is equally pleased to hear that our own efforts have played a tangible role in helping to enhance the passenger experience.

HIAA to present on major self-service project in Airport Terminal of the Future Forum at FTE Global 2014 

Halifax International Airport Authority’s Dean Bouchard, Director, Infrastructure will take part in the Airport Terminal of the Future Members Forum at FTE Global 2014, which will take place in Las Vegas from 24-26 September 2014.

Dean will deliver a presentation entitled: ‘Designing and delivering the first fully self-service check-in hall in North America’, in which he will offer an in-depth insight into how Halifax Stanfield International Airport’s check-in hall has been successfully transformed into a future-proofed, common use self-service facility.

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Halifax Stanfield’s common use self-service check-in hall the result of close collaboration, forward thinking…and FTE Global!

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United Airlines passengers flying from Chicago O’Hare can now tag their own bags upon arrival at the airport as the carrier continues the rollout of self-tagging.

United Airlines’ introduction of self-tagging at Chicago O’Hare follows the recent rollout of the service at Boston Logan International Airport.

United Airlines passengers flying from Chicago O’Hare International Airport can now tag their own bags upon arrival at the airport thanks to the carrier’s ongoing rollout of self-tagging.

The United check-in hall at Chicago O’Hare includes a total of 24 kiosks from which passengers can print their bag tags, before attaching them to their luggage and proceeding to dedicated bag drop counters, where an agent processes the bag.

Travellers who prefer the traditional check-in process still have the option of queuing up to see an airline agent.

United has already introduced self-tagging at a handful of other major US airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, where the airline launched self-tagging kiosks and self-boarding gates in May 2014.

The introduction of self-service facilities is just one element of United’s strategy to enhance the passenger experience across the board.

This month alone, the carrier has become the first to offer mobile passport scanning to enable mobile check-in for international flights, and has also teamed up with Uber to help simplify the end-to-end travel process.

United’s Managing Director of Airport Strategy to discuss passenger experience plans at FTE Global 2014

United Airlines’ Ken Bostock will speak at FTE Global 2014, 24-26 September, Las Vegas.

Ken Bostock, Managing Director, Airport Strategy at United Airlines, will address delegates in the ‘On the Ground’ conference at FTE Global 2014, which will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas from 24-26 September.

Following a presentation by Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future Research, entitled ‘Airport transformation – a roadmap to viability’, Ken will join Rohit and Vancouver Airport Authority President & CEO Craig Richmond on stage to take part in an extensive Q&A debate.

» More information on FTE Global 2014
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United rolls out self-tagging at Chicago O’Hare

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FTE explores how a number of major US airlines and airports are using self-tagging, home-printed bag tags, self-boarding and APC kiosks to simplify the travel experience.

As US airlines and airports try to empower passengers to take control of their own journeys, self-tagging kiosks, home-printed bag tags and self-boarding gates are starting to become more commonplace.

Among today’s travellers, there is an increasing demand for empowerment and a “do-it-yourself” approach, and while European airlines and airports may have taken the lead on adopting new technologies to meet these demands, the trend is now becoming just as apparent across the United States. Self-service check-in and tagging kiosks are now commonplace at many American airports, but the next wave of innovation is extending customer empowerment beyond the boundaries of the terminal.

When Hawaiian Airlines launched its self-service bag drop at Honolulu Airport last year, the carrier’s Vice President for Customer Service, Louis Saint-Cyr, stated that “every minute saved in the check-in process improves our customers’ experience substantially”, and this seems to be an opinion that many of the United States’ biggest airlines and airports now share.

A little more than a year on from that comment, Hawaiian Airlines has found another way to save passengers even more valuable minutes with the launch of the TAG@HOME home-printed bag tag trial, which means passengers don’t even have to worry about tagging their bag at all upon arrival at the airport.

This approach, print-at-home bag tags, is also in favour at Alaska Airlines, which became the first US carrier to introduce the product in April 2014 to complement its self-tagging kiosks. According to Curtis Kopf, the carrier’s Vice President of Customer Innovation, the ‘Self-tag Express’ initiative is part of the airline’s goal “to be the easiest airline to fly with”.

Enabling passengers to control their travel experience

United Airlines’ Ken Bostock, Managing Director, Airport Strategy, will speak at FTE Global 2014, 24-26 September, Las Vegas.

Over at United Airlines – whose Managing Director, Airport Strategy, Ken Bostock, will offer insight into the carrier’s passenger experience plans at FTE Global 2014 – home-printed bag tags may not yet be on offer, but the airline certainly encapsulates this prevalent theme of passenger empowerment.

Like many of the big US carriers, United offers self-tagging facilities at various airports, but it has just taken a unique step to help simplify the check-in process even further, specifically for those flying internationally.

Via the United app, passengers can use their smartphone’s camera to scan their passport during the check-in process, which is then quickly verified by a third party company. If everything is in order, they will receive their boarding pass to their device, removing the need to queue upon arrival at the airport to show their passport to an agent before heading to security.

Again, passenger empowerment is a key driver of this initiative. “The new passport scanning feature saves valuable time and provides customers with more options to control their travel experience,” according to Scott Wilson, the airline’s Vice President of Merchandising and E-commerce.

Will self-boarding finally be the next big thing?

Aside from check-in and bag tagging, moving other processes away from the airport is far more difficult, if not impossible. However, this does not mean airlines and airports are sticking with the traditional face-to-face approach to passenger processing. The departure gate is one area that offers self-service opportunities, and although the self-boarding gate made its way into the US as far back as 2010, it is yet to really take off.

FTE Global 2014 host McCarran International Airport, clearly with an eye on the future, has self-boarding gates installed in Terminal 3, and more recently, just three months ago in fact, self-boarding gates were unveiled at Boston Logan International Airport’s new Terminal B concourse, which is used by United Airlines. Elsewhere, SITA’s seven-year deal with Miami International Airport could well extend to include the installation of self-boarding gates between now and the end of the current contract, according to the official communications issued upon the finalisation of the contract.

Self-boarding gates may be used sporadically and for trials at present, but the early investment in the facilities by some of the industry’s more innovative organisations suggests they will become a far more common feature in the future, and maybe the not-too-distant future at that.

Cutting queues with new technology

Travellers can now use Automated Passport Control kiosks to complete the main part of the customs process upon arrival at many US airports. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, passengers can even use the Mobile Passport Control app to submit their details.

At the other end of the journey, namely the arrival at the destination airport, much attention has been given in recent months to the widespread rollout of Automated Passport Control kiosks, which have dramatically cut waiting times for arriving passengers at the likes of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Seattle-Tacoma, Miami and Phoenix Sky Harbor airports to name just few.

Again, new technological developments have enabled this breakthrough, and now the project is being taken to another level with the launch of the Mobile Passport Control app, which allows passengers to complete the main part of the customs inspection process using their own smartphone or tablet.

The very travellers who have complained, and rightfully so, about the queues they have had to put up with, are now being empowered with the option of using their own device to help overcome the problem.

A year or so ago, the thought of a traveller scanning their passport via their mobile device, using their smartphone to check-in and receive their boarding pass, printing their bag tags at home, boarding using an automated gate and using a kiosk or an app to complete most of the customs process would have been far removed from reality. We may not yet be at a stage where a single carrier offers all of these automated options, but US airlines and airports are certainly granting passengers a lot more autonomy throughout their travel experience.

There is still a long way to go to achieve the seamless and simple travel experience that the industry and its customers crave, but recent developments suggest many of the major airports and airlines are dedicated to making the future travel experience a far less cumbersome ordeal.

United, SFO, American Airlines, McCarran, Delta and JetBlue to share passenger experience visions at FTE Global 2014

FTE Global 2014 will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas from 24-26 September, and will be hosted by McCarran International Airport.

In the ‘On the Ground’ conference at FTE Global 2014, which will take place in Las Vegas from 24-26 September, a number of leading US airlines and airports will share their plans to enhance the passenger experience.

Senior speakers from the likes of United Airlines, San Francisco International Airport, American Airlines, McCarran International Airport, JetBlue and Delta Air Lines will take part in conference sessions focusing on topics such as the airport terminal of the future, baggage advancements, new technology and improving the end-to-end passenger experience.

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Passenger empowerment central to travel experience improvements among US airports and airlines

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Incheon Airport has confirmed to FTE that it plans to introduce a self-service bag drop system, which is scheduled to go live in December 2014.

Incheon Airport will introduce its new self-service bag drop system in December 2014.

Incheon International Airport has revealed plans to introduce a new self-service bag drop system. When contacted by FTE, the airport confirmed that it has been planning the rollout of the new system since January and it is expected to go live in December.

Passengers flying with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will be the first to be able to make use of the new system, which will allow them to complete bag tagging and bag drop in a one-step process. The airport is believed to be working with SK Telecom on the project.

While self-service bag drop has gained traction in Europe in recent years, uptake among Asian airports and airlines has been much slower.

However, AirAsia’s support of self-service processing, Changi Airport’s recent confirmation that it will trial self-tagging and bag drop alongside Jetstar Asia, and now Incheon Airport’s investment in the technology suggests that Asia’s major airports and airlines are starting to realise the benefits of automating the bag drop process.

Learn all about the latest baggage advancements at FTE Global 2014

Taking place in Las Vegas from 24-26 September, FTE Global 2014 will include the Baggage Advancements Forum, which will explore the latest baggage-related developments, including home-printed bag tags, permanent bag tags, baggage delivery and common use self-service bag drop, and help to highlight how airlines and airports can create an all-encompassing and consistent baggage offer for passengers.

Senior speakers from the likes of Air France-KLM, McCarran International Airport, Avinor, COWI, IATA, HomingPIN, Bags Inc. and Vanguard ID Systems will participate in this session.

» View the full ‘On the Ground’ conference agenda
» Register to attend FTE Global 2014

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Incheon Airport to introduce self-service bag drop

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New common use self-service check-in kiosks and bag drop units have been installed in Terminal 1 to help reduce queues at the manned check-in counters.

Hamburg Airport has worked with Materna GmbH and Evans Airport Solutions on the implementation of self-service check-in kiosks and bag drop units. (Photo: ©Michael Penner)

Hamburg Airport has introduced a new common use self-service bag drop system in Terminal 1 for passengers flying with Lufthansa and easyJet. The airport has partnered with Materna GmbH on the installation of the new check-in kiosks and bag drop units.

Passengers who choose to use the self-service option can check-in at a kiosk before proceeding to a bag drop unit, where they must identify themselves using their boarding pass. A self-adhesive bag tag is then printed, which the passenger then attaches to their own bag to complete the bag drop process.

Thomas Lueders, Project Leader for Terminal Management at Hamburg Airport, said: “This enables us to offer our passengers better service thanks to reduced waiting times, shorter walking distances and ease of orientation. We are now entering the next phase optimistically, expanding the self-service infrastructure.”

To ensure the new self-service products fit in with the existing terminal infrastructure, Hamburg Airport and Materna also worked alongside a design team from Evans Airport Solutions on the design.

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Hamburg Airport rolls out self-service bag drop for Lufthansa and easyJet passengers

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ICM Airport Technics has signed a framework agreement with Heathrow Airport and been awarded a contract by Aéroports de Paris for the roll out of its bag drop units.

Aéroports de Paris has ordered ICM’s Series 1 ABDs (left) for Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, and has been trialling two ICM Hybrid units (right) at CDG since July 2014.

Heathrow Airport and Aéroports de Paris (AdP) will both permanently install new self-service bag drop units, having signed respective agreements with ICM Airport Technics.

ICM has signed a framework agreement for the rollout of Auto Bag Drop (ABD) units across all terminals at Heathrow Airport, while the company has also been awarded a contract to install the technology across Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris.

The deal with AdP will see 35 of ICM’s Series 1 Bag Drops supplied and installed before the end of March 2015. Two ICM Hybrid units have been on trial at Charles de Gaulle Terminal T2G since July 2014. The hybrid unit is a fully automated bag drop that can operate totally unassisted, or it can be manned for agent-assisted mode employing a fully equipped Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) check-in desk.

The framework agreement with Heathrow Airport covers the design, supply, installation and ongoing technical support of the self-service bag drops over the next five years, and also follows successful trials. Mike Sanderson, Managing Director of ICM UK, said it represents the “result of three years of hard work and dedication by the ICM team”.

ICM has also announced that Investec Australia Limited has invested in the company’s self-service bag drop solution. Investec will provide financing capital to assist new growth opportunities with an option to convert its financing into a controlling stake in the company.

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Heathrow Airport and AdP to roll out ICM self-service bag drop units

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FTE explores how the likes of Changi, Incheon and Kuala Lumpur airports, plus Cathay Pacific, JAL and Cebu Pacific, are improving the airport experience.

Highlighting the increasing appetite for self-service processing, Changi Airport has trialled self-service bag drop in Terminal 1 alongside Jetstar Asia. Changi Airport will also invest heavily in self-service facilities for the new Terminal 4, which will open in 2017.

Earlier this week, FTE highlighted the many ways in which Asia’s airlines are working to improve the passenger experience in-flight, but equally impressive are the many initiatives that have been implemented on the ground since the start of the year to help improve and simplify the airport experience. Ranging from self-service bag drop systems to iBeacon trials to roaming customer service agents, a variety of investments have been made with passenger experience enhancement very much at their heart.

Self-service gaining traction across the continent

In previous years, Asia’s airports could have justifiably been accused of lagging behind their western counterparts when it comes to self-service. Whether it was the fact that the Asian traveller was not yet prepared to switch from a face-to-face experience to a ‘do it yourself’ approach, or because lower labour costs curtailed the need to invest in cutting-edge solutions, uptake of self-service had generally been slow. This, however, has certainly changed in 2014.

The likes of Malaysia Airports, AirAsia, Dubai Airports, IATA, Star Alliance, Istanbul Grand Airport, Qatar Airways, Peach Aviation, Saudia, Vancouver Airport Authority, Jetstar Airways, AirAsia X, Oman Air and Air France-KLM are confirmed to speak at FTE Asia 2014, Kuala Lumpur, 1-3 December.

Two of the biggest airports in Asia highlight this significant change in mindset. Changi Airport, in partnership with Jetstar Asia, has been trialling self-service check-in kiosks, self-tagging and bag drop in Terminal 1, and this follows on from Changi Airport Group’s (CAG) confirmation that the new Terminal 4, which is due to open in 2017, will include self-service check-in, bag drop, immigration and boarding processes.

The pilot in Terminal 1 was part of the wider FAST@Changi project, and it was put into context by Tan Lye Teck, CAG’s Executive Vice President, Airport Management. “Against a backdrop of growing passenger traffic and the current manpower situation in Singapore, such as in the ground handling sector, the adoption of self-service initiatives will help alleviate some of the pressure faced by the industry,” he explained. “The implementation of FAST@Changi is in line with a wider global push towards increasing automation at airports to improve productivity and efficiency, while providing passengers with greater flexibility and convenience.”

Just over 4,500 km away in Incheon, South Korea, the growing appetite for self-service is also evident. Just last month (September 2014), Incheon International Airport revealed plans to introduce a new self-service bag drop system, initially for passengers flying with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.

Kuala Lumpur, Suvarnabhumi and Shenzhen Bao’an airports embrace self-service

Bangkok Airways recently introduced common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks at Suvarnabhumi International Airport to give its passengers more control over their travel experience.

Elsewhere, in FTE Asia 2014 host city Kuala Lumpur, the new klia2 – the world’s largest purpose-built terminal for low cost carriers – opened this summer and carriers such as AirAsia, Malindo Air, Cebu Pacific, Tiger Airways, Lion Air and Mandala Airlines can make use of the common use self-service facilities. In fact, FTE Asia 2014 delegates will be able to take part in a guided tour of this landmark new facility to see the self-service innovations in action first-hand. Steven Dickson, AirAsia’s Group Head, Ground & Inflight Operations, will also be sharing his expertise on how to reduce queues in the ‘On the Ground’ conference.

Further highlighting this desire for self-service, at the same airport – Kuala Lumpur International Airport – since July, Economy Class passengers flying with Malaysia Airlines have had to use self-service check-in and bag drop after the carrier made it mandatory, while Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport and China’s Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport have also had new self-service check-in kiosks installed this calendar year.

Roaming customer service agents

Cebu Pacific has check-in agents roaming the terminal at Kalibo Airport to check-in passengers and print their boarding passes remotely.

This rise in self-service facilities does not, however, appear to suggest a gradual end to traditional, face-to-face customer service in the airport terminal. At Kalibo Airport in the Philippines for example, Cebu Pacific Air has equipped its customer-facing staff with tablets, so they can roam the terminal, check-in passengers using the tablet and print their boarding passes remotely.

The service, which is called Agent Xpress, has been introduced to help cut queues without having to invest in standalone kiosks, and the carrier has stated that it is now “studying the launch of Agent Xpress in other airports as well”.

Wearable and mobile technology

Japan Airlines recently trialled iBeacons and smartwatches at the gate at Tokyo Haneda Airport. According to Andrew Kenji Wang Fujiyama, Manager Planning Group Web Sales, the trial was largely successful.

New technology is helping to improve processing at other locations across Asia too. Tokyo Haneda Airport’s Domestic Terminal 1 provides an interesting example. As part of a trial programme, Japan Airlines installed iBeacons and equipped its gate agents with smartwatches, which allowed the airline’s control desk to easily locate staff and assign tasks depending on their exact location. Andrew Kenji Wang Fujiyama, Manager Planning Group Web Sales at Japan Airlines, recently revealed that the trial had been a success.

SilkAir has also embraced mobile technology by integrating Google Now into travellers’ bookings. When a passenger makes a booking via the carrier’s website and they supply a Gmail email address, they are given easy access to bespoke live traffic information, flight status and gate updates, and destination guides via Google Now on their smartphone or tablet. Narita International Airport has also taken an inventive approach to using mobile technology to improve the passenger experience by adding a voice and text translation function to its app, which can help to simplify the airport experience for non-Japanese travellers.

Visitors to the Cathay Pacific lounges at Hong Kong International Airport can access complimentary digital newspapers and magazines via their smartphone or tablet while waiting for their flight.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, passengers flying with Cathay Pacific can access complimentary digital newspapers and magazines while they are in the lounges around the airport. Toby Smith, General Manager Product, Cathay Pacific Airways, said: “We want to ensure that our passengers feel connected, informed and entertained. Our aim is to take advantage of the latest technological solutions to provide the most up-to-date information to our most premium passengers in our lounges.”

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Asia’s airports and airlines embrace self-service, roaming agents and mobile technology to improve the passenger experience on the ground

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IATA has recognised the efforts of Hawaiian Airlines to use self-service solutions to improve and expedite the travel experience for its passengers.

Hawaiian Airlines is the first US carrier to achieve Fast Travel Platinum status from IATA.

Hawaiian Airlines has achieved Platinum status for Fast Travel implementation, recognising the carrier’s efforts to use self-service to help simplify and expedite the travel experience for passengers.

Platinum status is awarded by IATA to airlines that offer four or more Fast Travel compliant solutions to at least 80% of their passengers. These Fast Travel solutions are: Self check-in and/or automatic check-in; Bags ready-to-go; Document check; Flight re-booking; Self-boarding; and Bag recovery.

Bret Ranoa, Senior Director, Airport Customer Service, Hawaiian Airlines, said: “We are very pleased to have obtained the Platinum level certification and are proud to be the first airline in the United States to do so. Hawaiian is committed to giving our guests technology driven choices and feel that the Fast Travel certification provides a standard so guests receive a consistent level of self-service regardless of what airline they are flying or where they are travelling in the world.”

Tom Windmuller, IATA Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security, added: “I congratulate Hawaiian Airlines for its leadership in bringing these passenger-pleasing solutions to its customers. Fast Travel is a win-win for passengers and the air transport industry. Surveys consistently show that many flyers prefer the greater convenience and control that self-service options provide for them, while airlines and airports benefit from greater efficiency and better use of increasingly congested terminal real estate.”

Meanwhile, Windmuller has also confirmed that regulatory cooperation in Brazil and the US will enable airlines in the region to embrace Bags ready-to-go, which includes self-tagging and home-printed bag tags. Advancements in this area have previously been limited by regulatory restrictions.

“We welcome the regulatory cooperation in Brazil and the US that will enable airlines to expand the suite of Fast Travel benefits offered to air travellers,” Windmuller said. “We look forward to similar cooperation in other jurisdictions, clearing the way for airlines and airports to implement more Fast Travel solutions around the globe.”

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Hawaiian Airlines is first US carrier to achieve Fast Travel Platinum status

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

From embedded bag tags and smart glasses, to mood measuring digital screens and new bag drop solutions, FTE takes a closer look at some of today’s eye-catching solutions.

The upcoming Future Travel Experience Global (Las Vegas, September 9^th-11^th) and Future Travel Experience Asia EXPO (Singapore, November 17^th-19^th) will be this year’s leading forums where the most innovative solution providers in the travel sphere will showcase the next generation of technologies that will shape the end-to-end passenger experience in the years ahead. This week, however, Future Travel Experience was at PTE in Paris, where we took a closer look at a selection of solutions that have been developed to help improve today’s passenger experiences and processing efforts at the airport. Here we highlight some of the most eye-catching products and news that we came across at the show.

Permanent, embedded bag tags

BAG2GO – the independent company that has emerged from a joint innovation project involving Airbus, T-Systems and RIMOWA – was on show, and as the company’s CEO, Jan Reh (centre), told FTE, the solution will offer passengers a new level of “seamless convenience”. While the product itself remained quite literally under wraps in the expo, Reh explained to FTE that it is the first suitcase that can be checked-in via a smartphone app thanks to its embedded, electronic bag tag.

He also spoke of the ambition to make BAG2GO an industry standard, so as many airlines and travellers as possible can benefit from the game-changing technology, which will allow travellers to simply deposit their hold luggage into the baggage handling system upon arrival at the airport, without having to worry about check-in or printing their bag tags.

Wearable entertainment

While Epson was presenting its vast array of printers, it was a wearable technology solution that really grabbed FTE’s attention. The Moverio BT-200 – binocular, see-through smart glasses – makes use of augmented reality apps and allows users to watch HD and 3D content. The built-in camera, gyroscope, GPS and other sensors allows the solution to understand and react to the user’s movements and surroundings.

As Epson Europe’s Marc-Antoine Godfroid explained, the smart glasses provide extensive opportunities from a maintenance perspective, but airlines and airports can also pre-load the product with movies and other content, and offer passengers wearable technology-based entertainment either at the airport or in-flight.

Global travel app

Leveraging the trend of smartphones becoming a key tool in the overall travel process, Budapest-based Kifly was presenting its global smartphone application. Máté Szlanka, COO and Co-founder of Kifly, demonstrated to FTE the capabilities of the app, which is available on Android and iOS platforms. As well as helping passengers stay on top of their travel plans and offering wayfinding guidance in airport terminals, users can view reviews and tips from other travellers, network with other Kifly users in their vicinity via the app and collect points, which can be redeemed on goods at the airport. In an industry where pretty much every organisation offers their own app, the likes of Kifly have the potential to simplify the travel process by giving passengers all of the information they need in one place.

Seamless baggage delivery

Baggage delivery services have been gaining traction in Europe over the last few months, and this week we had the chance to find out more about SkyRoad’s LibertyBag service. FTE met with Ludwig Lefebvre, the company’s Operations Director Europe, who outlined the benefits of the service. LibertyBag includes pick-up of baggage from the customer’s home, including weighing, tagging and integrity inspection of the bag, and delivery to the airport and deposit into the baggage handling system, so the passenger doesn’t have to worry about their baggage at all during the departure process.

At present, the company works with the likes of Air France and Corsair to offer four services: home to airport, home to home (for Paris to Guadeloupe/Martinique only), airport to home and airport to airport. As Lefebvre explained, having proved the capability of the service in its home market, SkyRoad is now keen to expand LibertyBag internationally.

Speedy e-gates

On the Bundesdruckerei stand, Christoph Maggioni, Senior Director of Marketing, showed FTE the e-gate system that was chosen by the Procurement Office of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior to automate and secure the German border at airports. At the end of 2014, a total of 74 e-gates were in place at the likes of Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg airports, and by the end of this year, that number will almost double to 140, as Maggioni explained. He also said the automated border control solution, which utilises facial recognition technology, reduces the processing time for each passengers to less than 18 seconds.

4K innovations

Go to any airport terminal-related show and you’re likely to see a number of digital signage solutions, but FTE was especially impressed with the solutions on show from Indy Associates Co., Ltd. The company currently works with Tokyo International Air Terminal, where it has installed more than 20 types of animated screens. The 4K screens have web cameras on top of the displays, which detect people’s faces as they pass in front of it, prompting a pop-up greeting movie which follows you along the screen – a nice touch that can bring a smile to a passenger’s face and make their airport experience more enjoyable and memorable.

Secure bag drop

Considering the fierce competition in the self-service bag drop space, we were surprised to see another new entrant in the shape of MyCheck from Crisplant, which is part of the BEUMER Group. Johan Rajczyk, International Sales Manager, Airport & Logistics, showed FTE the capabilities of the fully automated check-in and bag drop system, pointing out the safety and security features such as the tamper detection, which prevents bags from being switched during check-in; double detection to ensure every bag is checked; and motion detection to monitor for the presence of a child or passenger on the conveyor.

Mobile CUPPS

Rockwell Collins this week introduced ARINC vMUSE mobile – a mobile common use passenger processing (CUPPS) solution, which enables airline and ground handling agents to utilise a tablet-based application to check-in passengers from anywhere in an airport. The new solution has been developed to enhance airports’ existing common use infrastructure by allowing them to deal with spikes in passenger traffic or irregular operations by launching a passenger check-in service in minutes, wherever there is an internet connection. Christopher Forrest, Vice President, Global Airports for Rockwell Collins, also explained that ARINC vMUSE mobile “opens up a number of unique passenger processing opportunities that include off-airport check-in, processing for start-up operations and onboard passenger processing.”

Meanwhile, Rockwell Collins confirmed that it is integrating its ARINC vMUSE and ARINC Veripax technologies with the Atkins Identity Management toolkit to capture a traveller’s identity using biometrics and match it with their passport and boarding pass information. The integration will help to streamline passenger processing through the airport, from passenger identification at check-in to self-boarding gates. Nick Whitehead, Head of Strategic Services, Identity Assurance at Atkins, commented: “Airports can use this service to validate a passenger’s identity, ensuring that the individual given the authority to fly is actually the one who boards the plane.”

Mood measurement

In addition to the security and baggage related products on show on the Scarabee Systems & Technology stand, FTE’s attention was grabbed by a digital signage solution which uses embedded facial recognition technology to automatically measure a variety of factors, such as a passenger’s age, gender and mood (whether they are happy, angry or fearful, for instance), as displayed by Michael Tan, Scarabee’s President. The information can then be analysed by an airport to understand more about passenger profiles and to identify potential areas for improvement. We were also impressed with the digital advertising solution, which identifies the gender of the person looking at the screen and automatically displays a relevant advertisement.

Smart, wireless signage

On the Samsung stand, FTE was keen to find out more about the 2^nd Generation Samsung SMART Signage Platform (SSSP). As Jaeil Choi, Assistant Manager, Enterprise Business Team, Visual Display, Samsung Electronics explained, the state-of-the-art video wall display eliminates the need for an additional PC, as content is delivered over Wi-Fi. The Samsung UDD-P SMART Signage video wall, which has embedded SSSP, can be controlled directly by a mobile device or laptop. While it is powered by a 1GHz quad core CPU and 1.5GB double data rate (DDR3) dual 48-bit memory, there is also a graphics card built into the embedded media player.

“Parcel-like” baggage tracking

SITA explained that its BagJourney solution, which handles a mammoth 2.5 billion bag messages each year, now allows passengers’ bags to be tracked “like a parcel”. “An immense amount of data is created about baggage and we have worked hard to design solutions to use these billions of messages and provide value to the air transport community,” said Nick Gates, SITA Portfolio Director, Baggage. “SITA BagJourney follows the bag, from check-in to final delivery, through multiple airports and multiple airlines. We at SITA have now made it possible to track airline baggage just like a parcel. We are delivering this service to our community via an application programming interface (API) to allow airlines and airports to integrate it into their existing system quickly and easily, including services such as mobile updates, which they might offer to passengers.” The development is especially relevant given IATA’s recent announcement of Resolution 753, which states: “IATA members shall maintain an accurate inventory of baggage by monitoring the acquisition and delivery of baggage”. The resolution will come into effect in June 2018.

Offsite self-tagging

Left: DSG Systems / Right: BBC

While there are a multitude of self-service bag drops in the marketplace for airlines and airports to choose from, BBC and DSG Systems, who were exhibiting separately of course, both had something different on offer. Both companies now offer solutions that can be installed either in the terminal or offsite, and allow passengers to identify themselves using their boarding pass and then print out their bag tags. So, in theory, a passenger who has checked in online could park their car in an airport car park, print and attach their bag tags and then simply drop off their bag when they reach the terminal. FTE likes these solutions because they fit in nicely with our Airports 2025 Think Tank, which envisages a simpler and more seamless airport experience.

Free bag drop

Daifuku Logan, a partner of Phase 5 Technology, was showcasing the SONIC bag drop system, and in an interesting twist, as part of an onsite competition the company gave away a SONIC Bag Drop unit to both Quebec Airport and Dusseldorf Airport for free. The free hardware comes with warranty and includes one year of free software service fees and standard support. All the airports need to do is provide power, internet access and the tags!

Article originally published here:
FTE in Paris: 14 solutions that can help to improve the airport experience today

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AirAsia has launched a new self-service bag drop solution at Senai International Airport – the first of its kind at a Malaysian airport.

Noor Safura Suib, COO, Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn. Bhd; Bombi Bomantara, Group Head of Ground Operations, AirAsia; and Aireen Omar, AirAsia Berhad CEO, attended the launch of the self-service bag drop solution at Senai International Airport.

AirAsia has launched a complete self-service bag drop solution at Senai International Airport, which becomes the first airport in AirAsia’s network to deploy the system.

AirAsia passengers flying from the airport in the south of Malaysia can now print their bag tags at a check-in kiosk before proceeding to the automated bag drop counter. At the counter they simply have to scan their boarding pass and bag tag using a handheld scanner and if everything is in order and the bag satisfies the carrier’s size and weight criteria, it will be automatically deposited into the baggage handling system. Two Scan&Fly units from Type22 have been installed initially.

AirAsia has offered self-tagging at select locations since 2013, but passengers have still had to drop their bag at a manned bag drop counter. The new system at Senai International Airport marks the first time AirAsia passengers can complete the entire check-in and bag drop process without any assistance from an airline agent.

AirAsia Berhad CEO Aireen Omar said: “With the introduction of the complete self-service options, including the latest self bag drop feature, it takes only up to two minutes and 35 seconds to complete the whole check-in process.”

Last year, AirAsia outlined to FTE its plans to embrace self-service to help simplify the passenger experience, and AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes visited the FTE Asia exhibition on the day that the new self-service kiosks went live at klia2.

The very latest self-service passenger processing solutions will be among the many innovations on show at FTE Asia EXPO 2015, Asia’s biggest ever passenger experience expo, which will take place in Singapore from 17-19 November 2015.

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AirAsia launches Malaysia’s first fully automated self-service bag drop system

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AirAsia will introduce its new ‘Home Tag’ from 20 April and roll out self-service bag drop in Bangkok, Phuket, Langkawi and select Indonesian airports.

AirAsia Berhad CEO Aireen Omar, pictured here using the new self-service bag drop at Senai International Airport, explained that Johor Bahru is the ideal location to launch the new self-service options thanks to the “very encouraging and healthy response towards the self-service features” at the airport.

Following last week’s unveiling of a new self-service bag drop system at Senai International Airport (Johor Bahru) in Malaysia, AirAsia will launch home-printed bag tags on two routes from 20 April.

The ‘Home Tag’ service, which allows passengers to print their bag tag at home, will be available to passengers flying between Johor Bahru-Kuching and Johor Bahru-Kuala Lumpur. To make use of this service, passengers just have to print their bag tag on an A4 sheet paper when they print their boarding pass, fold the paper and place it in a provided plastic cover, and attach it to their bag. Upon arrival at the airport, they can then drop the bag at a dedicated bag drop counter.

The carrier has also confirmed that it plans to roll out its fully automated self-service bag drop solution at more locations, including Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, Phuket International Airport, Langkawi International Airport and “a few stations in Indonesia”.

Aireen Omar, CEO of AirAsia Berhad, said: “We chose Johor Bahru as our very first hub to deploy this new self-service feature because we have observed a very encouraging and healthy response towards the self-service features from our guests here.

“We recorded a high percentage of up to 70% of guests using self check-in and self bag tag in Johor Bahru, making it the most ideal hub to test a brand new feature. We would like to thank Senai International Airport for their constant support towards AirAsia and allowing us to be creative in improving our services.”

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AirAsia to launch home-printed bag tags and expand self-service bag drop

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Travellers flying from Luxembourg Airport can now switch to an earlier flight using new self-service kiosks, which also enable self-tagging.

Passengers flying with Luxair, SAS and KLM will benefit from the installation of 10 new self-service kiosks at Luxembourg Airport, which handled almost 2.5 million passengers in 2014.

Travellers flying from Luxembourg Airport can now switch to an earlier flight using new self-service kiosks, which also allow passengers to print their own bag tags.

Five kiosks have been installed exclusively for Luxair passengers and a further five kiosks can be used by passengers flying with KLM, SAS and Luxair. Those who have booked a business or full fare economy ticket can check-in for an earlier flight if they have arrived at the airport early and if there is a seat available on the earlier flight.

The installation of the self-service kiosks is part of a wider programme to improve the passenger experience, which extends to the security checkpoint, where smaller, lighter trays have been introduced and benches have been added to help create a more relaxing atmosphere in the post-security re-composure area.

The latest developments follow the introduction of free Wi-Fi throughout the airport and the installation of charging point for passengers’ electronic devices.

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Self-tagging and flight change kiosks installed at Luxembourg Airport

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Kempegowda International Airport has invested in 180 common use workstations and 30 self-service kiosks, which will allow passengers to print their bag tags.

Thirty self-service kiosks with bag tag printers will be installed at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru has confirmed a major new investment in its IT infrastructure, including 180 common use workstations and 30 new common use self-service (CUSS) kiosks, which will allow passengers to print their bag tags along with their boarding pass.

The investment in self-service processing comes after the airport experienced a 13.2% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers in 2014, with the total number edging towards to the 15 million mark. A large factor in this growth was the decision of AirAsia India to make the airport its first base when services launched in June 2014.

The introduction of India’s first self-tagging kiosks should, in theory, help the airport manage queues as it continues to grow by reducing the reliance on manual processing, although agents will still man the dedicated bag drop counters, and passengers will still be able to check-in their bags in the traditional manner.

Hari Marar, President, Airport Operations, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), said: “Kempegowda Airport, being the gateway to a city which is one of the top technology innovation hubs in the world, continues to adopt next generation technology to enhance the overall passenger experience.”

The IT upgrades at Bengaluru International Airport will be driven by SITA after BIAL signed a seven-year contract, which also includes baggage reconciliation and baggage management upgrades.

Article originally published here:
Bengaluru Airport plans self-tagging kiosk rollout as passenger numbers rise

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Self-tagging kiosks, improvements at the security checkpoint and gate areas, plus a Club Lounge outdoor terrace are among the highlights of United’s investment.

The $537 million investment includes a major upgrade to the ticketing lobby, including the introduction of new self-tagging kiosks.

United Airlines has release details of what its customers flying from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will be able to expect once it has completed a $537 million refurbishment project.

The investment will impact pretty much all passenger-facing areas, and will include a major upgrade to the ticketing lobby with new self-tagging kiosks, an improved security screening checkpoint, upgrades to the gate areas and an updated baggage reclaim hall.

The Terminal 7 United Club lounge will also be expanded to include an outdoor terrace with views over the airfield (not too dissimilar to Delta’s Sky Deck), plus more seating and charging points will be installed. All of the upgrades ae scheduled to be complete by the end of 2017.

United will introduce its first outdoor terrace as part of the Terminal 7 United Club lounge upgrade.

Sandra Pineau-Boddison, United’s Senior Vice President – Customers, said: “From a state-of-the-art ticketing lobby to a sleek and spacious United Club lounge, we are enhancing the airport experience at LAX and giving our customers more of what they want when traveling – greater choice and control, consistency and comfort.”

Sean Burton, President of the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Board of Commissioners, said the partnership between LAWA and United “will create the world-class experience we want for all LAX passengers”.

Article originally published here:
Self-service and passenger comfort on the agenda as United invests $537m at LAX

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Self-service check-in and self-tagging trials are now underway at Changi Airport, with Singapore Airlines and SilkAir passengers able to make use of 24 new kiosks.

The 24 new self-service kiosks in Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 can be used by passengers flying with Singapore Airlines and SilkAir.

Self-service check-in and self-tagging trials are now underway at Changi Airport’s Terminal 2, with Singapore Airlines and SilkAir passengers able to make use of 24 new kiosks. A further 24 kiosks will soon be introduced in Terminal 3, as Changi Airport Group (CAG) continues the rollout of its Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) project.

Passengers with bags to check-in can print their boarding pass and bag tags at the kiosk before proceeding to a bag drop desk once they have applied the tags, while passengers travelling with hand luggage only can use the kiosks to check-in and obtain their boarding pass before proceeding to the Departure Immigration desks. Instructional videos, signage and staff on the ground are in place to guide passengers through the self-service process.

The latest trial follows a pilot of self-tagging and self-service bag drop, which was undertaken alongside Jetstar Asia in Changi Airport’s Terminal 1 last year.

Jayson Goh, CAG’s Senior Vice President for Airport Operations Management, said: “The adoption of FAST initiatives is in line with a wider global push towards self-service options at airports to improve productivity and efficiency, while at the same time providing passengers with greater flexibility and convenience.

“CAG is pleased to partner with Singapore Airlines and SilkAir on the FAST journey and will work closely with the airlines to continuously refine the process where necessary, so as to bring about a greater travel experience for our passengers.”

Tan Pee Teck, Singapore Airlines’ Senior Vice President Product & Services, added: “We welcome the new FAST initiatives, which will streamline the check-in process for our customers. This reflects our ongoing efforts to offer customers more options and improve their travel experience with us.”

As FTE reported last month, CAG also plans to leverage biometric technology as part of its FAST initiative, with Terminal 4, which is due to open in 2017, set to make widespread use of facial recognition technology.

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Self-tagging kiosks go live in Changi Airport Terminal 2

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Find out what DS BAGTAG, DSG Bagdrop, eezeetags, Embross, ICM Airport Technics, IER, Materna, Pinger and Type22 will be exhibiting in Las Vegas.

The Future Travel Experience Global 2015 exhibition will be the largest FTE exhibition to date and will include a number of pioneering solutions that have been developed to help simplify and streamline the baggage process. Ranging from permanent electronic bag tags to self-service bag drop units, and baggage trackers to self-tagging kiosks, the FTE Global exhibition is the place to discover the next generation of baggage products and services.

Here you can preview what DS BAGTAG, DSG Bagdrop, eezeetags, Embross, ICM Airport Technics, IER, Materna, Pinger and Type22 will be showcasing in Las Vegas from 9th-11th September.

» View Part 1 of the FTE Global 2015 Exhibition Preview
» View Part 2 of the FTE Global 2015 Exhibition Preview

DS BAGTAG (Booth D7)

FTE Global 2015 delegates will be able to take a close-up look at the DS BAGTAG – an end-to-end secure electronic bag tag solution that has been designed to replace the traditional paper bag tag. Thanks to its design, the product is able to withstand the harsh conditions checked baggage has to endure and is simple to use anytime, anywhere.

The DS BAGTAG fully supports interlining. Together with the airlines providing online baggage check-in, the DS BAGTAG solution contributes to a highly convenient off-airport baggage check-in and a substantially faster baggage drop-off process at the airport.

For more information, visit: http://www.dstags.com/bagtag/

DSG Bagdrop (Booth C8)

At FTE Global, DSG Systems will present its new self-service baggage drop unit that will be installed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada. DSG will also showcase the new Tag-O-Mat kiosk for quick bag tagging.

Visitors to the DSG stand will be able to experience the modern designed, cost-effective and simple airport self-bag drop solutions that will help to simplify the travel experience for passengers.

For more information, visit: http://dsg-systems.no/

eezeetags (Booth D15)

Eezeetags is a company that develops and produces self-service bag tags to be used out of a kiosk or bag drop machine.

The unique feature of eezeetags is that there is no need to remove a paper liner to expose the adhesive – this makes it an easily understandable and quick to use tag for the passenger.

Eezeetags create no waste at the point of tagging and cannot be applied in the wrong way because the “magic” adhesive does not stick to anything but itself. This creates a fast and seamless bag drop process and a positive passenger experience.

For more information, visit: http://www.eezeetags.com

Embross (Booth D5)

At FTE Global 2015, Embross will be showcasing its growing portfolio of self-service kiosk, bag drop and automated passport control solutions. With over 140 airlines and 150 airports providing check-in on Embross solutions, Embross continues to help its partners deliver great passenger experiences.

Live demonstrations of the popular Embross automated and retrofit bag drop solutions will be available as deployments continue across airports in North America. The Embross cableless, mobile kiosk and mobile desk will also be on display, as airlines and airports enjoy the flexibility of on-demand passenger service delivery anywhere, anytime.

For more information, visit: http://www.embrossgroup.com

ICM Airport Technics (Booth A18)

According to ICM Airport Technics, its Auto Bag Drops are the perfect integration of design, technology and process. With more than 26 million bags processed worldwide, ICM is an established global leader in providing airports with automated self-service bag drop systems.

ICM applies the latest technologies, including biometrics and positive ID checking, to the bag drop process, with a host of innovations that swiftly deliver an exceptional customer experience. Advanced 3D scanners automatically assess baggage conveyability, while patented technology provides safety with secure intrusion detection and integrated biometrics to assure passenger identity verification

For more information, visit: http://www.autobagdrop.com.au 

IER (Booth B4)

At FTE Global, IER will showcase the IER 919 self-service kiosk, a high availability and evolutionary multi-service platform for enhanced passenger services, including self-tagging, check-in and sale of ancillary services. IER is an industrial designer of solutions that improve the flow of goods and people, and provides airport operators and airlines with the most relevant solutions from check-in to boarding based on exclusive hardware, software and services.

For more information, visit: http://www.ier.com 

Materna GmbH (Booth A12)

Materna will showcase its latest solutions for self-check-in and self-bag drop at FTE Global. As a leading vendor for the aviation industry, Materna offers a complete portfolio from kiosk check-in and self-bag drop through to secure-access and self-boarding solutions.

At FTE Global, Materna launches its new kiosk model for the US market. Materna focuses on integrating systems and infrastructure based on CUSS or CUPPS standards. Major airports and airlines such as Lufthansa, Emirates, airberlin, London Gatwick Airport, Vienna Airport, Hamburg Airport and Swedavia are part of Materna’s client list, and the company now brings its self-bag drop knowledge to the United States.

For more information, visit: http://www.materna-ips.com

Pinger (Booth A2)

FTE Global delegates will be among the first to be able to preview Pinger, the first electronic bag tag that provides end-to-end visibility. With a patented electronic bag tag that uses a variety of means to determine and report its position, and a network of industry-integrated servers to provide real-time updates, Pinger ensures complete transparency throughout the baggage handling process at every airport in the world.

Not only does Pinger provide end-to-end visibility, it pushes the intelligence of the network to the edge, transforming every bag into a self-managing module.

For more information, visit: http://www.pingmybag.com

Type22 (Booth D6)

Type22 has already installed its Self Bag Drop (SBD) solution at more than 15 airports worldwide and connected over 40 airlines. By the end of 2015 Type22’s first US airport will follow.

Now that self-tagging in the United States is officially approved by the TSA, the SBD solution will be on show at FTE Global 2015 on the Type22 stand, where delegates can find out more about the company’s full range of SBD solutions.

For more information, visit: http://www.type22.aero

Also exhibiting baggage products and concepts at FTE Global 2015:

» View the full list of 40+ FTE Global 2015 exhibitors and the exhibition floor plan

» Register to attend FTE Global 2015 

Article originally published here:
FTE Global 2015 Exhibition Preview Part 3 – Permanent bag tags, self-service bag drop, self-tagging and baggage tracking

The following article was published by Future Travel Experience

Airport Authority Hong Kong has signed an agreement with Rockwell Collins for the installation of 120 of Type22’s common use self-service bag drop units.

Rockwell Collins will integrate Type22’s Scan&Fly self-service bag drop into the existing infrastructure at HKIA.

Airport Authority Hong Kong has signed an agreement with Rockwell Collins for the installation of 120 common use self-service bag drop units at Hong Kong International Airport.

The airport already uses Rockwell Collins’ ARINC MUSE passenger processing platform and BagLink baggage message distribution system, and the vendor will now integrate Type22’s Scan&Fly self-service bag drop into the existing system. This will allow passengers to self-tag their bags, before depositing them into the baggage handling system.

Vivian Cheung, Deputy Director, Airport Operations, Airport Authority Hong Kong, said: “It is always our objective to provide the best operational efficiencies and enhance passenger experience to our users from all around the world, and hence we keep track of the latest technologies available and adopt them in HKIA when suitable.

“This new self-service solution would equip us with the necessary facilities to make our service even better, as well as matching with the global trend of self-service check-ins.”

Heament John Kurian, Managing Director, IMS Asia Pacific for Rockwell Collins, added: “Solutions like this enable us to deliver improved operational efficiency and an enhanced passenger experience to valued customers like Airport Authority Hong Kong.”

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HKIA to deploy 120 common use self-service bag drops