Baggage management company Airportr has partnered with ground handler Swissport to enable baggage to be processed off-site.
This means that passengers will be able to have their luggage collected from their homes ahead of the flight, enabling them to travel bag-free to the airport.
Passengers in any class can pre-book a slot for departing flights, and a courier will digitally verify ID and travel documents at their doorstep and then seal the baggage for secure delivery to the airport. Travellers will receive live updates and digital airline baggage tags.
Passengers will be able to bypass the check-in and baggage drop at the terminal, and proceed directly to security, streamlining the journey. They can also have their bags cleared through customs and delivered to their destination within hours of landing, according to the providers.
The two companies said that it will “launch imminently” and have described the partnership as marking “a milestone towards contactless airport journeys, improved passenger mobility and sustainability for airports and the aviation sector at large.”
The initiative has a positive sustainability impact, according to Airportr, with 66 per cent of its users travelling to the terminal by public transport rather than by car as they are no longer carrying luggage.
Randel Darby, CEO and Founder at AirPortr, said:
“The partnership with Swissport is a significant milestone – it outlines a blueprint and scalable platform for the introduction of smart baggage solutions across the aviation industry. With Swissport, we are transforming baggage from a customer and cost pain point into a new revenue stream, increasing handling efficiency and improving passenger experience…
“Our vision is to create a global connected network for airline clients – this partnership with Swissport brings us one step closer to making that vision a reality. By marrying the strength of our technology with Swissport’s operational footprint, this solution is redefining the role of baggage.”
Swissport operates at 274 airport locations in 44 countries worldwide.
Bruno Stefani, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Switzerland and France, added:
“The complexity of baggage handling will be transformed through user-friendly, intuitive and scalable solutions into a customer-centric service for passengers, allowing them to personalize ancillary services according to their individual needs.”
Meanwhile, British Airways recently launched a new initiative with Airportr allowing customers to drop off their luggage as they step off the Heathrow Express at Heathrow T5.
