Montréal–Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport has become the first airport in North America to offer passengers self-service baggage drop-off points, according to a company press release.
This latest development means that the airport's passengers can complete the entire check-in process themselves; however, before proceeding to a self-service baggage drop-off point they must have already checked in and printed their luggage tags at a kiosk. This process normally takes less then a minute, and airline agents are available to help passengers if necessary, said the release.
Developed in collaboration with COFELY Services, a subsidiary of the GDF-Suez Group, the self-service baggage drop-off points are equipped with barcode readers and touchscreens that passengers can use to enter the necessary information by following simple instructions. In this way, the system automatically matches pre-checked-in passengers with their pre-tagged luggage.
Although WestJet is the first airline to have adopted the process, other carriers operating out of Montréal–Trudeau will also offer it in the near future, the release said.
Self-service baggage drop-off facilities are already in operation at some of the world's airports, notably in Europe. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) also recommends the process in its Fast Travel Program.
Read more about kiosks in the travel industry.
A nice way to start your travel.