Transportation

HMS Host deploys contactless SandStar smart kiosks at Charlotte airport

Image courtesy of Sandstar.

March 10, 2021

HMS Host has deployed SandStar Smart Kiosks to provide a contactless, on-the-go option for hungry passengers at the Red Star Bar in Concourse B of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, according to a press release.

"Passengers traveling through CLT can now grab fresh food to-go with self-checkout to give them confidence in a truly contactless experience," HMSHost President and CEO Steve Johnson said in the release. "Contactless convenience is at the forefront of our technology initiatives because it keys in on the health and safety of our customers."

Patrons swipe a credit card to open the cooler door, pick from an assortment of portable choices freshly prepared sandwiches, wraps, salads and beverages, close the door and head to the flight gate.

The kiosk uses dynamic vision recognition to capture the items taken from the kiosk and activates the blue light virus cleaning cycle once the door is closed. The blue light kills 99% of any virus that could potentially be present between customers, according to the press release. Payment is made automatically to complete the shopping experience. The final shopping cart is displayed on the screen and sent to the user's mobile device.

"With our current pandemic, consumers are seeking contactless shopping solutions as a way to keep them protected which is why we expected staggering growth of smarter self-checkout systems delivered through our intuitive retail kiosks," Mike Kiser, president of SandStar North America, said in the release.

For an update on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting convenience services, click here.