BLR Airport launches self-bag-drop

The Bangalore International Airport Limited—operator of the BLR Airport— has, once more, raised the bar for passenger experience by deploying 16 fully-automated Self Bag Drop machines that will significantly accelerate the baggage transaction and reduce check-in queues. Self-bag drops are already in use at other Indian Airports, but BLR Airport is the first in the Country to introduce fully automated baggage drop-off systems.

Designed and installed by Materna IPS, the Air.Go fully-automated self-bag-drop machines would initially be available for passengers flying with Air Asia and Spice Jet.

“Continuous improvement of passenger experience at the BLR Airport has always been a priority for us and the introduction of the new Self-Bag-Drop is a testimony to that. We’re excited to be the first airport in the Country to offer our passengers and airlines an unique technology that will ease the process of air travel. Our goal is to use technology to improve the passenger experience and to make airport operations more efficient,” said Javed Malik, COO, BIAL.

The process

The Self Bag Drop employs a two-step approach. A passenger will first print a boarding pass and an eezee-tag (bag tag) at a self check-in kiosk. Once tagged, the passenger will go to the bag drop machine, scan the boarding pass to initiate the bag drop process. The bag will be measured, weighed, scanned and automatically fed into the baggage handling system. 

As many as 32 brand new self check-in kiosks will be installed to print boarding pass and baggage tags. In case of an excess baggage, the passenger will be directed to a hybrid counter to complete the check-in and payment.

With its new location in Bengaluru, Materna is laying the foundations for its activities in the Indian market and for providing intensive support for its customers here.

Known for its user-friendliness, the Air.Go kiosks fulfils the requirements and augurs well for all airports. In cooperation with Danish designer Marcus Pederson, Materna has adapted the solution with customised design elements especially for this airport.

“India’s airports are being confronted with growth of up to 25 percent right now and have expansion plans to match. However, above all, they have to make the best possible use of their existing infrastructure as extensions and new buildings take too long. The self-service project at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru one of the most modern and attractive airports in India, is the first of its kind in the whole of India. We look forward immensely to improving the passenger experience and to mastering the challenges in this exciting growth market with established solutions together with our customers”, Shibu Mathews, head of Materna in India, explains.

Materna`s flagship solution Air.Go

The Air.Go series is an innovative self-service bag-drop solution which enables airports to automate their conventional check in process. The self-bag-drop counters are fitted with scanners which automatically check flight details and the weight and size of the baggage before it is fed into the baggage conveyor system. This flagship solution from Materna means the airport is also in a position to offer check in as a one stop solution so boarding cards can be issued automatically and baggage can be dropped at one single kiosk.

As a very modular and customizable solution with multiple options Air.Go meets all the requirements of an airport. Future technologies such as payment and biometrics can be integrated as well. The self-bag-drop system is based on the international CUSS standard (Common Use Self-Service). This means it can also be used with already existing CUSS-compliant check-in applications which several airlines already use, without them having to redevelop or adapt them. Materna also develops and integrates appropriate self-service applications. At BLR Airport for example, Air Asia and Spice Jet will be using the self-bag-drop system to begin with and other airlines will soon be following.

Materna subsidiary founded in Bengaluru

After successful installations in Europe and North America, Materna Intelligent Passenger Solutions (ips) is now entering new markets in Asia with its flagship Air.Go product. In the course of their current and planned activities on the Indian market, Materna has founded a company in India. Since April 2018, Materna Information & Communications India Pvt. Ltd. has had its headquarters in Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Having their own company here puts Materna in an optimal position to act independently and to serve the country-specific requirements on the Indian market covering everything from concept design and installation to maintenance of hardware and software.

With Shibu Mathews heading the company here, Materna has got a very experienced manager on board to accompany the projects in India and to build up the company’s expertise.

About Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru is the first Greenfield airport in India to be built as a private-public partnership. It is operated by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), where private promoters hold 74% (Fairfax 54% and Siemens Projects Ventures 20%) stake in BIAL, while the government holds the remaining 26% (Karnataka State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited – 13%, Airport Authority of India – 13%). The Airport began operations in May 2008 and has significantly enhanced the regional and worldwide air connectivity of Bengaluru and Karnataka. It is currently the busiest airport in South India, the third largest in the Country and the second fastest growing airport in the world. Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru has been adjudged the ‘Best Regional Airport in India & Central Asia’ by Skytrax in 2017. For more information log on to www.bengaluruairport.com