Airport check-in… reorganized, sped up, patented!
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Is more efficient airport check-in design possible? Apparently Alaska Airlines has figured out a way to speed things up, by getting the passenger to drop their bag, rather than waiting for the gate agent to do it for them.
The system has been in use for some time now at the airline’s Anchorage hub. The Wall Street Journal profiles their patented (yes, patented) check-in area with a glowing report:
In Anchorage, the lobby is deep instead of shallow. But thanks to multiple windows, it is light and airy and provides a sweeping view of the Chugach Mountains to the east. The spacious hall is dotted with kiosks and roving customer-service agents to help passengers who aren’t familiar with the machines. Those without bags can go immediately to the security-screening lines around the corner. Those with luggage proceed to bag-drop stations where the passengers, not the agents, place the bags on conveyor belts while the clerk checks boarding passes and identification, tag the bags and give the fliers the baggage stubs.
Because the transactions are so swift at these stations — and because the passengers (or, in some cases, porters) do the heavy lifting — one agent can handle two lines of passengers, and the lines are rarely very long. Elite frequent fliers have dedicated bag-drop stations.
I’m honestly surprised at the speed improvements (surprised in a good way). The slowest part of self-check-in with bags is often the wait for the gate agent, who is working six counters at once. Until they check your id and tag you, you’re waiting, clogging the kiosk. The Alaska method moves you away from the kiosk, but it could still bottleneck at the bag drop, where the agent has to tag your bags, no?
The method will be rolled out in Seattle next year. But will it work elsewhere, in older terminal buildings where the width of the building exceeds its depth? Heck, even newer buildings are wide rather than deep.
Nonetheless, it sounds promising. It’s been 10 years, almost to the day, since I’ve passed through Anchorage Airport, so I have no first hand experience with Alaska’s new approach. Comments from those who have seen it in action are especially welcome.
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August 10th, 2007 at 9:10 am |
There can really be improvements — I stood for 20 minutes in the front of the line at United on Monday dropping my wife and two kids with a total of 6 bags. Most of the time was wasted on other passengers who didn’t know they might use a kiosk and then their handover of the baggages. Then there were two parties with overweight bags.
Space requirements and the eagerness to weigh and charge for heavy bags will possibly the hurdles to this new method.
August 11th, 2007 at 1:03 am |
I live in Anchorage and have been using Alaska Airline’s new setup for a few years now. I wouldn’t say its that much of an improvement if you have to check in luggage. There are plenty of kiosks and I’ve never had to wait to get my boarding pass (although they too frequently have a problem with my reservation, sending me to the always long customer service line). The lines for checking in luggage tend to be long. The business about two lines for each agent doesn’t work. While an agent is attending to a customer in one line people in the other line wait. Basically it splits the line in two so it doesn’t look as long. And then its frustrating when you choose the wrong line and get stuck behind a slow person. Don’t believe the hype.
August 11th, 2007 at 2:44 pm |
This actually sounds pretty interesting–and I can’t believe they patented this:)
However- it sounds like that they should be at least applauded for attempting to provide a better EXPERIENCE for their passengers.
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August 13th, 2007 at 2:46 pm |
Alaska Airlines also pioneered the kiosks to check in. I first used them on Southwest. A lot of their innovations eventually filter down to the other airlines. Now their new bag check system sounds great. Hope the rest of the airlines try this out soon.
August 20th, 2007 at 3:17 am |
Gate agents do not check-in bags at the ticket counter, they managae arriving and deparing flights at the gate hence the title “gate agent”.