Article

Research: Atlanta airport leads world in self-service

New survey results indicate widespread adoption of mobile, Web and kiosk self-check-in at the international hub. 

October 13, 2009

SITA, a provider of IT solutions for the air transport industry, has announced survey results that show 84 percent of passengers use self-service check-in at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, making it the industry leader in self-service check-in.

According to a news release from SITA, the company announced data from its fourth SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey at this week's Airports Council International – North America Annual Conference in Austin, Texas. The percentage of passengers using self-service check-in at Hartsfield-Jackson has grown 215 percent in the last four years and is nearly double the global average of 44 percent at the other major international hubs surveyed, SITA says.

Catherine Mayer, SITA's Atlanta-based vice president for airport services, says Hartsfield-Jackson is showing the industry that self-service has serious advantages for airports, especially in a tough economy.

"It is great to see an American airport leading the way for the air transport industry in these challenging economic times," she said in the release. "Atlanta is showing by example how self-service can benefit both airlines and passengers. Self-service is now as much about convenience and choice for the consumer as it is about saving costs and maximizing shared use of IT infrastructure for airlines and airports."

SITA says kiosk check-in at Hartsfield-Jackson has grown from 32 percent four years ago to 46 percent this year and that the airport's Web check-in usage is at 32 percent, versus just 7 percent four years ago.

Hartsfield-Jackson also is a leader in the emerging trend of mobile self-service. The airport now sees 4 percent of its passengers using mobile check-in, versus just 1 percent last year. SITA says the mass adoption of smart phones is the reason — 45 percent of Hartsfield-Jackson travelers now carry smart phones, compared to 19 percent last year.

Mayer says Hartsfield-Jackson was the only hub where SITA found 100-percent traveler awareness about self-service and that the airport's world-leading position is thanks to its success in educating the public.

"Lack of awareness among passengers remains a major obstacle to adoption," she said. "Very significant numbers of passengers at airports surveyed in India, Brazil and South Africa — between 21 percent and 41 percent, depending on the location — were unaware if self-service check-in was available to them or not. Atlanta has done a great job raising awareness and educating the public."

SITA says the report surveyed passengers flying on more than 100 different airlines and representing more than 80 different nationalities in April and June of this year.