Moves to Speed Up Check-In

By NEAL, Tracy

Air New Zealand is developing a highly automated check-in system using “smart card” technology, designed to get people through airports quicker.

The airline’s shorthaul services group general manager Bruce Parton presented the airline’s Domestic Journey to a group of visiting journalists at Air New Zealand headquarters in Auckland this week, as a move that would help secure the airline’s position ahead of competition.

“On domestic travel, the fight will happen at airports, not in the air,” he said.

Air Nelson general manager John Hambleton said on Wednesday Project Kingfish would see tailor-made solutions in airports including regionals such as Nelson. He backed Mr Parton’s comments there would be no job losses through increased automation. Manual check-in systems would remain for those who preferred this method, and to handle international check-in at provincial airports, Mr Hambleton said.

New jobs would be created through installing roving “help” staff at airports, similar to how the banking system had evolved, Mr Parton said.

The multimillion-dollar programme had an emphasis on electronic check-in at the booking point via the Internet, and the use of mobile phones to which boarding information would be sent in the form of a barcode, and then scanned at departure gates.

Passengers with luggage would also manage their own bags, which would be labelled with a “bag tag” and cross-referenced to electronic boarding information. Luggage would be placed by the owner on a conveyer belt that was fed to the loading area.

Mr Parton said electronic systems aimed to reduce throughput at check-in counters by 45 percent.

Mr Parton said the project was to be launched next March, and airports around the country would then introduce the systems throughout the year.

Mr Hambleton said the object was to make it simpler for customers of the airline, especially those who “don’t like to be in queues”.

Nelson Airport manager Kaye McNabb said Air New Zealand leased from the airport company a portion of the airport terminal for its operations, and could make alterations to suit its needs. She said the airline already operated a fast check-in kiosk at Nelson, but anything it did beyond that would likely have little effect on the airport.

(c) 2007 Nelson Mail, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.