Doha’s Hamad International airport has completed the first phase of its ‘Smart Airport Programme’, unveiling new self-service check-in and bag drop facilities.
There are a total of 62 self check-in kiosks, and 12 self-service bag drops – at the moment they are exclusively for the use of Qatar Airways customers, but the plan is to extend them to other airlines in the future.
The airport says that the new facilities will enable more than 25 per cent of its passengers to be processed via self-service.
“It is estimated that the processing would eventually be up to 40 per cent faster, vastly improving customer experience; and allowing more passengers to be processed without major capital investments for physical expansion of check-in facilities,” said the airport.
“Experience has shown that self-service is faster than traditional methods, as a passenger can typically process one bag in less than 50 seconds.”
In addition a mobile Automated Visa Document Check has been launched, which “enables ground services agents to check a passenger’s visa documentation before continuing their journey”. The airport says this is the first service of its kind in any major airport worldwide.
Earlier this week Emirates announced plans for the world’s first “biometric path” at Dubai airport’s Terminal 3, enabling passengers to “check in for their flight, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates Lounge, and board their flights, simply by strolling through the airport”, using a mix of facial and iris recognition biometric equipment.