Now, there’s a new way people can shave 13 minutes off the typical check-in process at Auckland International Airport. This summer, the airline has begun removing check-in desks and replacing them with digital kiosks and new self-service bag drop machines.
The new system means travellers can check in and drop off luggage within five minutes according to Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker.
“That’s far quicker than you’d generally experience at a traditional check-in desk,” said Tasker, adding it would shave approximately 13 minutes off the average check-in time.
Auckland Airport chief customer officer Scott Tasker.
What are the kiosks and bag drops?
If you’ve flown Air New Zealand domestically or internationally, you’ll be familiar with the slim digital kiosks, which allow you to check in, print airline tickets and print luggage tags.
After attaching your luggage tags, you can place bags into an individual bag drop, which scans the tag and then automatically pulls it onto the main conveyor belt.
Auckland Airport has begun removing check-in desks at “Check In Zone E”, replacing them with lines of kiosks. Unlike the Air New Zealand ones, which will remain in place, these kiosks will link to five different airlines; Qantas, Jetstar, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Malaysia Airlines.
Customers can approach a kiosk, tap their airline then proceed with the check-in process and use any of the available bag drops.
The airport will spend the next two years changing the 100 check-in desks to self-service kiosks and bag drops and plans for all airlines to be available via kiosks.
“When the new domestic jet hub opens at the end of the decade, regardless of whether you’re flying to Wellington or Doha you’ll be using a kiosk and bag drop,” said Tasker.
The advantage of the kiosks is that seasoned travellers can speed through the process but those who need time can go slowly without feeling rushed, Tasker explained.
“The process will be faster, but if you need to take a bit more time or require some assistance, you don’t feel the pressure of a line of people waiting behind you,” he said.
If using the new technology or self-check-in feels daunting, Auckland Airport’s chief operations officer Chloe Surridge reassures travellers there will still be plenty of airline and airport staff to help with the process or any issues that may arise.
“As you come into the terminal building, you’ll be seeing the same amount of people as you did before they’ll just be in different spots,” she said.
“They’ll be here to assist you through check-in and then also through to the automatic bag drops.”
Initial trials of the kiosks and bag drop received a strong, positive response but Surridge stressed that making changes while remaining operational means there may be some hiccups along the way.
“It’s a little bit like changing the wheels on a car while the car is moving,” she said.
Efficiency key for future demand
Systems that save space, time and employee resources aren’t just great for travellers now − it also ensures the airport can meet future demand, said Tasker.
“By moving people through the check-in process faster we will be able to manage the expected future passenger numbers for both domestic and international travel without needing to double the size of the check-in area.”
The bag drops are just the traveller-facing part of major upgrades to the airport’s baggage handling system, Surridge said. Behind the wall, the airport is replacing the traditional conveyor system with an individual carrier system.
What does this mean for travellers? Right now, it means you can check your bag in quickly via the bag drops. In the future, once the system is fully upgraded, a bag’s location can be tracked much more accurately, meaning it can be located or moved through transit much faster. It will also mean travellers can check in luggage any time of the day, rather than waiting for bag drop to open a few hours before departure.
