News

Passports needed for new KLM kiosks

April 4, 2002

AMSTERDAM, Holland -- Leading Dutch airline KLM (NYSE:KLM) is introducing a new self-service check-in kiosk that feature an added security feature: the ability to read passenger passports.

According to the Wall Street Journal, KLM installed ten machines at Amsterdam's Schipohol Airport recently, replacing older machines at the facility. The airline expects to install the kiosks at other Dutch airports before expanding the program throughout Europe.

The new kiosks, which were developed by IBM Corp., also allow passengers to receive boarding passes. According to the Wall Street Journal, passengers can scan their passports at the kiosk for identification purposes, but will still have to undergo normal security procedures at airport checkpoints.

KLM is the second airline to announce changes to its check-in kiosk program this week. On April 3, Delta Air Lines disclosed that it would add 300 kiosks to its service, taking the total number to 400 (See story: Delta kiosk plans take flight).

Based in Amsterdam, KLM and its partner airlines such as Northwest Airlines serve 78 countries on six continents.