Expanding on the popularity of its groundbreaking, common-use self-service kiosks, Las Vegas McCarran International Airport this summer added several more airlines to the program and plans to deploy the devices at off-airport locations. The SpeedCheck system, which the airport launched in October 2003 and hailed as "the first system in the world to carry multiple airline applications on a common kiosk," thus far has issued more than 675,000 boarding passes. By next year, 100 additional kiosks also will generate tags for customers with checked baggage.
American Airlines and JetBlue this summer joined a dozen domestic airlines already participating in the program. Using a touch-screen interface on one of 25 kiosks located within the airport, travelers connect to the individual computer system of the carrier they are flying and can print out their boarding passes.
Self-service kiosk technology has been used by many airlines for several years, but use and deployment accelerated rapidly after the 2001 terrorist attacks as a means to counterbalance delays related to heightened security procedures. The Las Vegas initiative, however, shows how airports can play a significant role in deploying multi-airline devices to ease congestion within their facilities and maximize limited real estate.
"Because McCarran owns and operates the kiosks, we can provide an unprecedented level of service to our customers while saving the airlines money," said Randall H. Walker, Clark County Department of Aviation director.
McCarran's airline systems manager David Bourgon acknowledged that airlines "pay for everything at the airport in a roundabout sort of way," but that no new fees have been levied on participating carriers.
The airport also deployed six kiosks at the Las Vegas Convention Center, enabling conference delegates to print out their boarding passes before leaving for the airport, but security concerns disrupted operations. "There are certain application changes that need to satisfy Transportation Security Administration regulations for offsite," Bourgon explained. "We should be back to our full complement pretty soon."
McCarran by next year plans to include checked baggage tag printing capabilities at 100 new SpeedCheck kiosks placed in and around ticketing areas. Current functions allow only customers with carry-on bags to use the kiosks. Delta passengers are the exception, as there currently are eight kiosks in close proximity to Delta ticket counters.
The airport by early next year also plans to install kiosks in the international terminal, currently undergoing improvement, enabling foreign airlines to participate in the SpeedCheck program.
Another development, slated for the fall, is kiosk deployment at Las Vegas hotels. "We are looking at one or two hotels with one or two carriers to feel our way into it," Bourgon said without providing specifics.
Offsite checkin in Las Vegas had been available prior to Sept. 11, 2001, but was shelved after the terrorist attacks. In its revised form, remote checkin via the SpeedCheck system will be made available to travelers with or without checked baggage. Airlines mutually will select a third party to handle baggage tagging, storage and delivery to the airport.
"One of the problems we have had with common-use technology is that you are beholden to the airport authority as to what system they want to put in and not necessarily the system you want to put in," said Graham Atkinson, United Airlines senior vice president of worldwide sales and alliances. The Star Alliance, therefore, is developing multi-airline, self-service devices to be used exclusively by its members in airports around the world. Atkinson acknowledged he was not familiar with the specifics of SpeedCheck. United is a program participant in Las Vegas.
Furthermore, Bourgon said McCarran's SpeedCheck kiosks mirror individual airline checkin systems. "The common-use portion is the internal peripherals, such as the boarding pass printer," he said. "Once you touch the button of your airline, you see everything you are familiar with and there is nothing new to learn." Passengers, therefore, can use the kiosks to select seats, request upgrades and accomplish any other transactions their airline normally offers through proprietary kiosks deployed elsewhere.
The SpeedCheck kiosks, furnished by Arinc and IBM, are based on standards developed by the International Air Transport Association. The McCarran devices on average check in 25,000 to 30,000 passengers per week. In addition to new users American and JetBlue, participating carriers include AirTran, Alaska, Aloha, America West, Continental, Delta (and its Song operation), Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, United (and its Ted operation) and US Airways. Bourgon said Delta and Southwest customers currently are the heaviest users.
Vancouver and Tokyo Narita international airports in late 2002 were the first in the world to deploy kiosks that comply with IATA's standards. Earlier this year, three United Kingdom airports—London Heathrow, Manchester International and East Midlands—began testing similar systems with a handful of carriers.