News

US Airways plans major kiosk expansion

April 11, 2002

ARLINGTON, Va. -- US Airways officials cite speed and convenience when they talk about their electronic ticketing kiosks. Soon, the airline will be able to tout the program's ubiquity.

Starting in April, US Airways will begin a significant kiosk expansion that will increase the number of check-in kiosks by nearly 60 percent, from 166 to 251. The number of airports served by US Airways kiosks will more than double under the expansion, from 23 to 48. When the expansion is complete this summer, 85 kiosks will be added to 25 airports.

on April, 16 airports will receive US Airways kiosks, including Chicago O'Hare and Los Angeles International. The number of kiosks currently in service at any one airport ranges from two to 24.

The ambitious expansion plans, however, do represent a scaling back from previously announced plans. US Airways officials last December said plans were to have more than 300 kiosks in place throughout the country by the end of the first quarter of 2002 (See story: US Airways covers Pennsylvania in kiosks).

Using touchscreen monitors, passengers can purchase one-way tickets, obtain boarding passes, select seats, or check in baggage. Flight status information is also available at the kiosk.

US Airways officials said the program's success to date has spurred the airline into expanding the program.

"In cities where we have installed kiosks, 28 percent of our customers who travel using an electronic ticket use these kiosk machines," Alan Crellin, US Airways executive vice president of operations, said in a news release. "At Boston and LaGuardia, nearly 40 percent of all electronic ticket holders use the kiosks, currently the highest rate of usage on our system."