Airports are investing in self-service for a variety of reasons, with a focus on ‘improving passenger satisfaction’ topping the list for 52% of respondents. But 48% of airports also cited ‘cost reduction’ and ‘to comply with regulations’. Respondents also cited the potential to ‘attract more airline partners with a modern passenger experience’ and to ‘process more passengers with their existing physical capacity’.

When asked to estimate how much agent time self-service technology has saved at their airport, respondents estimated 43% on average, suggesting a significant opportunity to reallocate teams to higher value work or to make them available to solve specific passenger pain-points.

Adoption of self-service technology has drastically increased over recent years and is making a significant impact for airports across the world. An example is Heathrow Airport where more than 270 Amadeus self-serve bag-drop units are now installed following a successful ten-year deployment. 

These units process 1.5 passenger bags every second at peak times, reducing demand on agents and delivering an outstanding experience.