Airline operator Air France-KLM Group is close to completing the installation of 765 next generation self-service kiosks, supplied by air transport IT provider SITA, at 50 different airports globally.
The new SITA kiosks will allow Air France and KLM passengers to quickly check in for flights, print bag tags or purchase additional services such as inflight meals and upgrades. They also include several new features including chip and pin and contactless payment devices, and have been designed to accommodate future services, such as check in and payments using near field communication (NFC). The kiosks will have a heavy presence at KLM and Air France hubs including Amsterdam Schiphol in the Netherlands, and Paris Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports in France.
From an operator’s perspective, the latest kiosks contain extra storage for bag tags and have been equipped with audio and camera features to allow for remote support from airline staff. SITA will also provide global management services for the kiosks over the next five years.
Nicolas Nelson, vice president Distributed Services IS Group – Air France-KLM Group, said, “The New Generation Kiosk project is a strategic project for Air France-KLM, aimed at significantly improving the customer experience in 50 airports worldwide. With these 765 state-of-the-art kiosks from SITA, we are providing a solution that will improve the self-service experience for check-in, self-tagging and baggage recovery.
“The initial feedback from our customers and station managers is very positive with reports of increased availability, better user interface and improved self-use ratios. This was a complex project that deserved full attention from SITA and Air France-KLM experts and management. At the end of the day it has proved to be a real success.”
Dave Bakker, SITA President, Europe, said, “We worked closely with the Air France-KLM team to capture their needs throughout the design process. These SITA kiosks provide the usual check-in services for passengers and are designed to support the growing trend of self-service bag tagging. However, they also include chip and pin payment devices, which allow the airline to extend the range of kiosk services. Passengers have shown their preference for using kiosks and this major investment by Air France-KLM will give passengers exactly what they want.”
