News

Delta customers turned to self-service check-in kiosks 7.4 million times in 2002

January 22, 2003

ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) claims its customers are taking to self-service kiosks for convenience the same way consumers previously took to ATMs and cell phones.

The airline reports customers used self-service kiosks to check in more than 7.4 million times in 2002 compared to 400,000 customer check-ins in 2001, according to a company news release.

Customers can use the kiosks to check in, check baggage, print boarding cards, select or change seats and change flights. The self-service design generally saves travelers between 5 and 15 minutes, according to Rich Cordell, senior vice president, Delta Airport Customer Service.

"Our goal was to have 5 million customers check in through kiosks in 2002," Cordell said in the release. "Our customers are voting with their feet, making a clear statement that our kiosks are convenient and save them time."

Delta has 449 kiosks in 81 airports, serving more than 80 percent of its domestic airport system. The company announced in October that more than 1 million passengers used its self-service check-in kiosks that month, the most ever recorded in a single month. (See story: Delta hits milestone with check-in kiosks)