Major US Airline Streamlines Traveler Check-in

Background:

Turning learnings into new, time-saving experiences that benefit travelers

A  major airline in the United States has been field-testing innovative ways to streamline the check-in experience for its travelers. In contrast to decades-old airport kiosks that can be slow, unreliable, and often result in long lines, this major airline began exploring ways to extend its use of iPads—which are already used by its flight attendants, customer service agents, and maintenance crews—also to serve its travelers as a convenient check-in option. 

Challenge:

Delivering a modern and powerful check-in station on a unified platform

The airline needed an iPad-based solution that could easily scan and read boarding passes and integrate with its bag tag printers; something that had never before been accomplished on iOS. The airline also wanted to offer a touchless option using the front-facing camera of the iPad to allow travelers to check in for their flights by simply looking into the camera. Further, the traveler check-in solution needed to be easier to use and deploy than traditional systems yet durable enough to handle thousands of daily transactions with the potential of serving more of its travelers across airports nationwide. 

Solution

Quick & intuitive check-in experience with Aila’s Interactive Kiosk

This major U.S. airline selected Aila’s Interactive Kiosk as a rugged, adaptable self-service platform to create its next-generation traveler check-in experience. Aila’s expertise in image-based scanning and ability to integrate peripherals, such as bag-tag printers, within its existing kiosk platform provided the airline with a highly-flexible solution they could confidently begin rolling out to select airport lobbies.

The Interactive Kiosk extends the enterprise capabilities of Apple’s iPad by harnessing its processing power and higher and superior cameras to deliver unmatched scanning capabilities. It can also integrate the iPad with a variety of printers and payment terminals and offers a UBC-Power Hub for integrated power management of the iPad and external peripherals. Its quick disconnect option also makes it easier and more cost-effective to maintain than traditional airport kiosk systems. 

Results

Streamlining  check-in for more of its travelers across airports nationwide

According to a recent article in Fast Company, the airline has already begun rolling out Aila’s Interactive Kiosk in some of its airports as part of its phased rollout. The iPad-based Kiosks allow passengers to check in for their flights and print boarding passes without interacting with a human agent. 

As the implementation of facial recognition becomes more widely adopted, the airline plans to phase out traditional kiosks entirely and replace them with the iPad-based Interactive Kiosks. The airline will also work closely with government agencies to ensure that the use of facial recognition technology complies with all relevant laws and regulations.

The use of Aila’s Interactive Kiosk has the potential to greatly improve the check-in experience for passengers. It eliminates the need for physical documents and streamlines the entire process. In addition, it could help reduce wait times and improve the overall customer experience.