Now, portable check in devices to reduce long queues at IGI airport
NEW DELHI: Checking in at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will get less cumbersome. After months of trial run, the Delhi airport operator has introduced a portable check in system for use by passengers.
The hand-held gadgets will act as portable check in counters, which will save passengers the trouble of standing in queues to get to traditional counters. This facility is expected to reduce congestion and queues.
The devices will be handed over to the airline staff who will roam around and ask passengers for check in. The traditional check in counters will continue to function as earlier.
Passengers carrying hand baggage can directly make their way for security check. Those carrying registered baggage will have to go to the traditional counters to drop their bags.
The mobile gadget is based on the ARINC vMUSE platform and can be used for both domestic and international check ins at the airport.
The gadget can be moved to any location within the terminal, wherever an increased number of passengers need to be checked in.
“This would make passenger check in a very smooth affair at the country’s busiest airport. This digital initiative would ensure better queue management at the airport, especially during peak hours, winters and monsoon, when weather causes irregular operations due to flight delays and disruptions,” said I Prabhakara Rao, CEO, DIAL.
DIAL has successfully conducted extended trial of this value added service over the last few months at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport. During the trial period, an average of 8% to 10% of commuters experienced smooth check in through the wi-fi-enabled check in gadget, which has a Bluetoothbased printer attached to it to print the boarding pass.
Jet Airways and Vistara airlines have been using the portable device since the beginning of the trial period. The software-based mobile gadget enables all airlines operating from both the terminals of Delhi airport to check in their respective passengers away from the traditional kiosks.
“DIAL has been actively promoting various self-service digital initiatives at IGI airport with an intention to leverage technology for passenger experience and operational efficiency. These include self check in kiosks at the airport, mobile app-flyDEL and flap gates, among several others,” said a DIAlL spokesperson.