The air travel industry sees millions of passengers every day, making it a prime area for innovation. In recent years, we have witnessed the introduction of smart suitcases that self-weigh and electronic tags for bag drop, which have improved airport processes. Â
In light of the above, Middle Eastern carrier Emirates launched a new City Check-in and Travel Store in Dubai’s International Financial Centre (DIFC), providing customers with a convenient and hassle-free travel experience. The state-of-the-art facility, located in the elite ICD Brookfield Place, will allow customers to book travel, check in for flights, drop luggage and shop for travel essentials. The City Check-in and Travel Store has a prime location in the heart of Dubai’s bustling financial district, making it easily accessible for busy professionals.Â
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Customers can drop luggage 24-4 hours before flights and check-in anytime from 8am-10pm daily. Self-check-in kiosks, dedicated desks with Emirates agents, and a portable robotic check-in system named Sara offer seamless service, matching faces with scanned passports, checking passengers in, and guiding them to the luggage drop area.
The City Check-in and Travel Store offers contemporary booking, luggage drop, and merchandise browsing, with paid parking and expert travel consultant assistance for hassle-free experiences.
Boost to passengers
As the summer holiday season approaches, the check-in point will provide a much-needed boost to passengers. Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest international airport for the ninth year in a row, handled 66.1 million passengers last year, exceeding its forecast of 64.3 million and growing 127% annually, thanks to a strong fourth quarter,” according to Dubai Airports’ February announcement.
Leo
SITA’s autonomous robotic baggage handler, Leo, was trialed at Geneva Airport in 2016. Leo greets passengers, weighs, checks-in and securely transports their luggage to the baggage handling area. Only designated airport staff can access the robot’s doors once a bag has been checked.
Leo, a smart robot named after Leonardo da Vinci, can self-navigate and move around passengers with ease. SITA believes widespread use of robots like Leo could speed up airport check-in processes and enhance security by limiting the number of bags in airport buildings.
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