Baggage missing? Check-in a kiosk

KUALA LUMPUR: In a move to make life easier for the owners of the millions of bags which are mishandled each year, SITA is enabling a new kiosk with a web-link to its WorldTracer software used by over 440 airlines and ground handlers.

Speaking about the WorldTracer Kiosk which will be commercially launched later this year, Catherine Mayer, Vice President SITA Airport Solutions, said: “Passengers rank check-inbaggage arriving on time as second in importance for a pleasant journey after the flight arriving on time. Unfortunately, millions of checked bags are delayed each year but this new WorldTracer kiosk will provide affected passengers with more convenience and peace of mind.

“Using these kiosks passengers can scan their bag tags and enter their contact details. The passenger can then generate a claim and continue their journey without having to queue at a service counter. A unique claims ID number allows the passenger to remain informed of the status of their baggage, either through a dedicated web site or a call centre. Our WorldTracer application will be able to provide them with instant feedback on the status of their bags, 99.9 per cent of which are successfully traced and reunited with their owners within 48 hours or less.”

As this air transport IT specialist explains in a press release, it has launched the world’s smallest full-function check-in kiosk at the IATA AGM here and shows how passengers can now track their own missing bags.

Two new environmentally friendly airport kiosks, including one which allows passengers check the status of delayed or missing baggage, were demonstrated here.

This WorldTracer kiosk is touted as an effort that will allow passengers to check on the status of their delayed bags over the web and to file “missing bag” reports without having to queue and talk to an agent.

WorldTracer is being tagged as a fully-automated system for tracing lost and mishandled passenger baggage used by over 440 airlines and ground-handling companies worldwide. Last year the WorldTracer database showed a mishandling rate of 14.28 bags per thousand passengers worldwide, compared to 18.86 per thousand in 2007.

Kiosks for check-in and issuing bag tags are fast becoming the most popular channel for passengers in North America and Europe, while world-wide, kiosk-use is running at 30 per cent for all passengers including Asia/Pacific.