Dublin Airport has invested €2 million to improve the check-in experience for four of its major airline customers by installing 62 new self-service kiosks (SSKs) between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 that will allow the airport and its airline customers to process greater numbers of passengers by increasing the peak check-in capacity.
Passengers using the new self-service bag drop kiosks can, depending on the airline, check in for their flight, tag their own bag and dispatch it into the baggage system much faster than would be the case using traditional check-in desks.
The new SSKs are initially being used by Aer Lingus, Ryanair, CityJet and Flybe passengers, but several other airlines at Dublin Airport have already expressed interest in using the same technology.
Terminal One now has 15 self-service bag drop units available in check-in Area 13, which is the area used by Ryanair. There are three further self-service bag drop units in check-in Area 7 for common-use by other airlines. Passengers from CityJet and Flybe will be the first to enjoy the benefits of these SSKs. Terminal Two has 44 new self-service units in the Aer Lingus check-in area.
“This €2 million investment streamlines and simplifies the baggage check-in process for passengers,” said Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport’s Managing Director. “It will reduce check-in queue times and also increase the overall capacity at check-in in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.”
Dublin Airport, working with its technology provider Rockwell Collins in conjunction with Pulse.aero, delivered a tailored process to suit each airline. “While we used the same technology in both terminals, it was adapted to specifically meet the needs of our airline customers,” added Vincent. “The new self-service systems are already having a significant impact on check-in times at Dublin Airport.
“This project is one of a large number of investments that Dublin Airport is making across both terminals, at the boarding gates and on the airfield to add capacity and to continue to improve the passenger experience. The self-service kiosk and bag drop installation underlines our ongoing commitment to ensuring that passengers enjoy the very latest technological advances in their journey through Dublin Airport.”
The 15 new self-service units in T1 one use a one-step approach. This allows passengers that have checked in online to take their bags straight to the self-service bag drop, where they can print their bag tags, attach the tags and then dispatch the bag straight on to the baggage system.
In T2 there are now 32 self-service kiosks and 12 self-service bag drop units in the Aer Lingus check-in area. Passengers first use their reference number to print a boarding card and/or weigh their bag and print a bag tag. Once tagged, the luggage can be taken to the self-service bag drop position and the bag is automatically dispatched.
The bag drop units in Terminal 2 are the world’s first touchless bag drops kiosks, as they automatically detect that the tag is attached, and the weight is correct and then dispatch the bag without the need for the passenger to touch any button or screen.
“Touchless bag drop means that passengers can drop their bag at a self-service machine that requires only minor user interaction, thus eliminating many of the steps they have to deal with when checking in,” said Chris Forrest, Vice President of Airport Systems, Rockwell Collins.
To make the system as easy to use as possible for passengers, the new kiosks are fitted with audio prompts for visually impaired passengers, and availability indicators so that passengers can immediately see which devices are free.
The new system has also been designed so that in the future there is the potential for passengers to be able to make payments at the kiosks for services such as additional bags, fast track security and lounge access.
