News

Atlanta flyers may be top self-serve passengers

November 10, 2010

Passengers passing through the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, are setting the pace for the rest of the world when it comes to passenger self-service technology, according to the results of the latest SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey of leading international airports.

Atlanta passengers have always been ahead of the digital pack, and this year's survey shows an even greater appetite for self-service technology. The survey illustrates an increase in those who would like to use online check-in frequently from 29 percent last year to 72 percent  in 2010; 57 percent of those interviewed stated they already use online check-in frequently - the highest percentage recorded in this year's survey.

Overall, 76 percent of Atlanta respondents had used some form of self-service check-in, including online, kiosk and mobile check-in. Almost 90 percent of those stated they use kiosk check-in either frequently or intermittently.

This enthusiasm for digital tools is also matched by the highest recorded use of online booking in this year's survey among passengers at Atlanta as 79 percent use it to make their travel arrangements frequently, and primarily because of the control it gives them.

There is also considerable interest in the introduction of self bag-tagging at Atlanta; 84 percent of the respondents said they would print their own bag tags from a kiosk if they could, compared to 70 percent worldwide. Over 80 percent would be interested in printing their bag tags remotely at home or in the office.

The 5th annual SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service (PSS) Survey is an in-depth look at the attitudes and habits of a representative sample of the 287.6 million passengers who use Atlanta and six other leading international airports: Beijing International Airport; Frankfurt; Moscow Domodedovo; Mumbai International; OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg; and Sao Paulo Guarulhos, Brazil.

The survey data is extracted from interviews with 2,490 passengers traveling on 106 airlines, conducted at the departure gates earlier this year. Main nationalities interviewed were American, 17 percent; Indian, 12 percent; Chinese, 12 percent; Brazilian, 11 percent; German, 8 percent; South African, 8 percent, Russian, 7 percent; others, 25 percent.