Smart baggage management solutions provider AirPortr and airport ground and cargo handling provider Swissport have launched an off-airport baggage processing solution across 274 airport locations in 44 countries worldwide.
This partnership will enable passengers to pre-book an at-home baggage collection slot for departing flights. A courier will digitally verify ID and travel documents at the passenger’s doorstep and seal the baggage for secure delivery to the airport. Passengers will receive live updates and digital airline baggage tags. This transforms the often neglected first-stages of the travel experience, allowing passengers to travel bag-free to the airport, switch to public transportation if preferred, bypass the check-in and baggage drop at the airport, and then proceed directly to security. The solution also streamlines the last leg of passengers’ journeys, allowing them to digitally submit an eDeclaration, have their bags cleared through customs, and delivered to their destination within hours of landing – skipping baggage reclaim altogether.
Off-airport processing transforms the baggage handling process for air travelers, distribution partners and operators, and also supports sustainability goals as 66% of AirPortr users have switched from cars to public transportation because they are traveling bag-free. This will further the aviation industry’s goal to halve its emissions by 2050.
Bruno Stefani, senior vice president and managing director for Switzerland and France, added, “The complexity of baggage handling will be transformed through user-friendly, intuitive and scalable solutions into a customer-centric service for passengers, allowing them to personalize ancillary services according to their individual needs.”
Randel Darby, CEO and founder at AirPortr, said, “The partnership with Swissport is a significant milestone – it outlines a blueprint and scalable platform for the introduction of smart baggage solutions across the aviation industry. With Swissport, we are transforming baggage from a customer and cost pain point into a new revenue stream, increasing handling efficiency and improving passenger experience. The first deployment will launch imminently, facilitated by a go to market strategy which enables us to deploy rapidly, making the product available across airline client networks.”