Melbourne Airport invests in self-service

Melbourne Airport says a critical portion of the $1 billion it is spending on expansion will go to a new technology platform designed to support self-service.

The money will go towards self-service kiosks, self bag-tagging and self-bag drop units supported by IT provider SITA. Similar kiosks are already in use by Air New Zealand.

In a statement, SITA said Melbourne Airport would introduce six new automated self-service bag drop units later this year.

The units scan the bag tag, reconcile the boarding pass, and weigh and measure the bag before dispatching it for the flight.

“Passengers will benefit from more flexibility, while the airport will improve passenger flows and its ability to cope with peaks in traffic,” SITA Asia-Pacific president Ilya Gutlin said.

The service will be offered to all 25 airlines that operate at Melbourne Airport.