The impacts of self-service check-in on the airport's operation

Abstract

There is an increasing trend in self-service check-in (SSCI) utilization. SSCI would impact the passenger flow and baggage flow in airport operation because of the reduction of check-in processing time and the change of passenger arrival time to the airport.

This dissertation is using the simulation model to simulate the passenger flow and a demand analysis model to calculate the baggage flow under various SSCI utilization rate for the assessment of the impacts on airport operation.

The simulation results suggest that the higher the SSCI utilization rate, the shorter the queue length and waiting time at the check-in desks. However, the bottleneck would be potentially relocated to the downstream passenger security check and emigration process. Nevertheless, the increasing SSCI utilization provides room for the reduction of check-in desk without compromising the service level provided to passenger. On the other hand, the baggage system demand analysis is based on the modified arrival profile with addressing later passenger arrival time due to perception of shorter in-airport time. The results show that the later the passenger arriving at airport, the less the make-up devices required for the baggage handling system, which reduces the operation cost and delays the need for baggage hall expansion.

Increasing SSCI utilization would bring both opportunities and challenges to the airport operation and this dissertation provides a study framework to assess the impacts on airport operation which could be applied by the airport operators. Airport operator could develop a more accurate and realistic simulation model and demand analysis model with real data collected from regular surveys and use them to forecast the service level and facility requirement with the change of SSCI utilization. As a result, airport operator can have a better facility planning to achieve cost-effectiveness and provide satisfactory service level to passenger.