YVR's new automated baggage drop system means you might never have to wait in line for an agent again.
With CHECKITXPRESS, you can load your own suitcase after checking in at a kiosk and, it's hoped, not have to worry about it again until you reach your destination.
Craig Richmond, president and CEO of the Vancouver Airport Authority, says their testing shows that it’s four times faster than regular bag drops. “We’re really excited about how these will work this summer.”
“Having passengers to be able to quickly check their bags is a really important part of our strategy to reduce those lines and increase capacity. Self-serve bag drops is the answer,” says Chris Gilliland, director of ITS, Vancouver Airport Authority.
The loading conveyor is low profile, accessible from multiple sides and is designed to be easy to use for travellers regardless of their age, digital fluency, language or mobility.
Sir Ken Stevens, chairman of Glidepath, a New Zealand-based baggage handling company that developed the technology, unveiled the new system on Friday. He says photographic sensors read the bag tag and make sure the baggage is positioned correctly.
A radar system stops the belt if the bag is overweight and ensures that “you can’t put your hand in during the takeaway of the bag.” It took 20 months to develop the technology in partnership with YVR’s Innovative Travel Solutions department.
Gilliland says more CHECKITXPRESS systems will be rolled out this year in the international, transborder and domestic departure terminals at YVR.
Richmond says the automated bag drop system will not replace staff who supervise the bag drop kiosks. “I think that the airlines will redeploy those staff. Maybe there’s a staff member for four or five of these bag drops because people will need help if their baggage is overweight or they just don’t understand what’s going on. There’s always a need for staff.”
In March 2018, the airport’s traffic was up more than nine per cent over the previous year, making it the earliest month that the airport topped the two million passengers month.
