Emirates has introduced a new service at Dubai that aims to cut check-in and bag drop times.
The airline is using 25 mobile check-in desks at Dubai Terminal 3. Emirates calls them Check-in Ports. They are like normal check-in desks with real check-in staff.
But the desks are mobile and Emirates can roll them to where they need them to deal with queues.
Staff at the Check-in Ports can do all the stuff they do at a desk:
- check-in passengers
- print boarding passes
- weight bags
- print and attach bagtags
Each Check-in Port has a scale attached to it for weighing baggage. After the agent tags the bags, porters place them on a dedicated belt destined for each passengers’ aircraft.
Emirates hopes the service will help cut queues and waiting times during peak hours.
It is using the ports throughout the check-in halls at Dubai Airport Terminal 3.
Passengers in First Class, Business and Economy can use them. Emirates is encouraging passengers with two bags or less to use the portable desks.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer:
“The use of advanced technologies and robots will continue to be introduced in our operational and customer touchpoints. We are committed to continually uplift our services and provide our customers a seamless experience and better journeys.
“Our latest Check-in Portals are a step in this direction and we are also working on other initiatives that rely on technology and artificial intelligence, to be introduced in the near future at different areas.
“We are fortunate to work with partners who share the same vision in utilising digital platforms and advanced technologies to improve processes and ultimately, customer experience.”
The ports are certainly not new technology but that is good. It shows the airline is committed to improving the passenger experience and using whatever tools it believes are best.
Emirates self-service at Dubai
Emirates already has self-service check-in kiosks and self bag drop at Dubai.
It also uses a ‘Smart Tunnel’ at passport control. That uses a biometric system where passengers walk through a tunnel and are immigration clears them without human involvement.
N.B. All images: Emirates
