Self-drop-off machines speed up check-in process
Queuing at check-in counters to drop off baggage is now a thing of the past for most Eurowings passengers. The self-bag drop-off machines (SBD) have gained another user with Eurowings, meaning that passengers will be able to conveniently drop off their baggage themselves in future. "For our Eurowings passengers, this is a significant relief on departure, as we were able to gain our largest airline in Salzburg as a user for our SBD machines alongside Transavia and Lufthansa. In addition to the conventional check-in counters, these machines will speed up the passenger process considerably, significantly reducing waiting times before departure and at the check-in counters," says a delighted Bettina Ganghofer, Managing Director of Salzburg Airport. After various airlines showed great interest in the topic of automated check-in and self-service systems, this subject was evaluated in the airport strategy project "Innovative Passenger Processes" and with first airline partners, finally implemented.
The background
With advancing automation and digitalization, the classic check-in process has also split and adapted to the times. The proportion of passengers who print out their boarding pass at home or in their hotel before departure or carry it with them digitally is already very high. Some airlines now charge a fee for manual check-in at the airport counter or only include it in a higher fare class. The 12 kiosks and 6 self-bag drop-off machines have been integrated into the passenger process so that baggage can also be processed in this way after self-check-in.
How does the self-bag drop-off work?
Passengers who have already checked in online come to the machine with their printed boarding pass or a barcode/QR code on their cell phone, for example, and enter the number of pieces of baggage to be checked in. Each piece of baggage must then be weighed so that the baggage tag - i.e. the label with information about the passenger, flight and baggage - can be printed out. The passenger attaches this tag on their baggage and takes it to a drop-off counter. There they place their baggage on the baggage conveyor belt, identify themselves (with their boarding pass) and their baggage again using a scanner, before the suitcase is transported via the conveyor belt to the large baggage check and then on to the aircraft, as with any conventional check-in. This service works for all Eurowings flights from 4 hours before departure, for early departures from 04:00. Passengers whose baggage is too much, too large or too heavy, or who have booked additional special baggage or sports baggage, will be referred to the regular check-in counter. The same applies to flights where travel documents still have to be checked at check-in, e.g. to Hurghada.
What to do if a passenger is "overwhelmed" by the technology?
Especially in the initial phase, it can happen that passengers are unsure how to use the machines and need help. Salzburg Airport employs so-called "floorwalkers" to assist passengers with questions or problems.
What does the airport gain from self-bag drop-off?
On the one hand, the airport is responding to the wishes of airline customers; on the other hand, the automated process should help to equalize the flow of passengers, especially during peak travel times. For passengers, this means being able to check in their baggage earlier than at the regular check-in and shorter waiting times at check-in and baggage drop-off, thus increasing convenience. In addition, the machines offer passengers more autonomy and control with regard to the check-in process, easier compliance with the check-in requirements of low-cost airlines, for example, and therefore a stress-free start to their vacation or business trip.
