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Air New Zealand will allow international passengers travelling from Auckland the option of checking in their own bag in what the airline describes as a world first.
The self-service bag drop kiosks read biometric data stored on passports using technology similar to the SmartGate passport control gates, with a camera to verify the passenger’s identity. Once the passenger’s identity has been verified, the bags are sent through to their flight. The airline said in a statement the kiosks use “world-first biometric technology”.
Air NZ said there five self-service bag drop kiosks have been installed, with plans for eight more to be added in early 2016. It also offers online checkin and has self-service kiosks in the terminal.
“We can now streamline the check-in process for our customers at Auckland International Airport and provide a more seamless airport journey,” Air NZ group general manager for airports John Whittaker said in a statement.
“It will reduce the time it takes for our customers to check in and free up our airport team to interact with customers and support them through the self-service process should they require assistance.”
Many airlines, including Air NZ, Qantas and Virgin Australia in this part of the world, already offer self-service bag drop facilities for domestic flights.
Raymond
says:It’s getting just a little bit concerning when the human screening element gets taken out of the international check-in process.
Oh well, it was bound to happen once domestic self-service was introduced.
BDT
says:This is fantastic. The human screening still happens at immigration and the security screening. This is extremely sensible and will make the process so much more efficient.
Airport Worker
says:I’ve worked at Airports Raymond and I’d take the machine any day.
m
says:Great another few jobs lost to technology.
James from Sydney
says:Since Qantas introduced self serve baggage drop, I have never had to queue at the airport. Now if only they can do something about automating security checks.
Rocket
says:No, Virgin doesn’t offer anything of the kind… It allows passengers to print out a tag and tag their bag then makes them queue up anyway so an agent can verify and take the bag… Most customers query ‘what’s the point’
SABRE doesn’t have the capability, Amadeus and DCS do which is why Qantas and Air NZ havre ‘real’ self service.
Other airport worker
says:I’ve also worked at airports and I’d take the human.
Raydex
says:It is certainly not a “world-first” as I’ve used the same facility in Frankfurt Airport via Lufthansa on an international flight. Apso, biometric is not even an accurate description as it does not use any bio data like fingerprints or iris detection.
PeterL
says:What I wonder about is those people that think carry on means 2 or more bags each weighing over 7kgs.
I have seen this happen too often for international flights in particular where the person on the check in counter vets what is going on and gets the passenger to book the extra bags in usually at a cost as they have exceeded their baggage limits.
What happens now with this new system, do they have to throw them ‘over the side’ as they enter the plane because they cannot bring all that carry on on board……..
Anonymous
says:@Rocket
Virgin actually do have self service now, but only at their new Perth Domestic Terminal. It will be interesting to see if they start to introduce it to more airports around the country.