Luton Airport introduces first touchless bag drop in UK
Rockwell Collins recently deployed the first touchless T-Series bag drop in the UK at London Luton Airport, which has streamlined and simplified the baggage check-in process.
“We’re investing £110 million to transform the passenger experience at London Luton Airport,” said Kim Kennedy, senior manager of Passenger Services for the airport. “Rockwell Collins’ new auto-bag drop terminals are just one example of this investment.”
The Luton self-service bag drop from Rockwell Collins employs a two-step approach. Passengers first use their reference number to print a boarding card and/or weigh their bag and print a tag. Once tagged, the luggage is taken to the self-service kiosk and the bag is automatically dispatched. Already in use at several airports around the world, the system has won praise from both customers and staff for improving the passenger experience and significantly improving processing speeds.
Kristian Hanslip, training and delivery manager at Rockwell Collins, said: “On day one, it was fantastic to see the positive reactions of the passengers and staff. Because the system is so simple to use, the ground staff is able to be more customer-centric and proactive. The airport’s customers were amazed at the transformation.”
The system at London Luton Airport is the UK’s first touchless bag drop, as it automatically detects that the tag is attached, the weight is correct and then dispatches the bag without the passenger needing to touch any button or screen.
“Because baggage handling is different depending on the airline and the airport, we work closely with our customers to ensure we create the right approach,” said Paul Hickox, head of Airport Systems Sales for Rockwell Collins. “Our overall goal is to help improve each passenger’s travel experience.”
The new kiosks also are fitted with audio prompts for visually impaired passengers, in addition to availability indicators, so that passengers can immediately see which devices are free. Future plans call for the systems to be updated so passengers can make payments at the kiosks for services such as additional bags, fast-track security and lounge access.