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Star Alliance redesigns Narita passenger flow
July 8th 2016
Star Alliance has completed the roll-out of a new check-in concept in the south wing of Tokyo Narita’s Terminal 1. Read More » More specifically, Star changed the layout of the check-in area, where desks are now allocated by airline rather than class of travel, as was previously the case in Narita.
The revised layout goes hand in hand with the installation of new self-service check-in machines which, in addition to issuing boarding passes, also print baggage tags. This makes Star the first airline alliance to offer international travellers from Japan the option of self-printing and self-tagging.
Star, which includes Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, EVA Air, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International, believes that up to 70% of passengers will use the automated process going forward.
The 28-member airline bloc says the initiative will significantly reduce average per passenger check-in times, in addition to reducing the required check-in space by 20%, which will be particularly crucial at Narita where capacity is at its maximum during peak times. As such, airport operator, Narita International Airport Corporation (NAA), plans to increase peak time slots from 68 hourly departures now to 72 by 2018. NAA will also build new rapid taxiways and runway exits.
Star offers its Gold Track premium passenger service at Narita, but admits more must be done on that front, especially in the Asia-Pacific. Star CEO, Mark Schwab, told Orient Aviation the alliance would introduce the fast track service at all its destinations if it could, but this was often not possible because of the “egalitarian approach” of local government-operated airport security services.
