Airports of Thailand Installs 180 Self Check-in Machines at Suvarnabhumi Airport

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Airports of Thailand (AoT) is introducing self check-in and luggage-loading services at Suvarnabhumi airport, reducing contact between passengers and staff to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spread.

 

AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said they will install 180 machines at the country’s main gateway airport to make check-in and other activities self-service. The machines will be trialed this month, before being fully integrated in July.

 

He said the machines are linked to a database, which includes flight information from airlines as well as the Immigration Bureau, the Interior Ministry and various security agencies. The system will speed up pre-flight procedures and build traveler confidence in the AoT’s public health security, ahead of the resumption of normal commercial flight operations.

 

Mr. Nitinai added that a new AoT Airports app has also been developed, in conjunction with the services, which will be progressively rolled to other airports under the AoT’s supervision nationwide.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-06-06

 

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[Wiggy]

I hope I don’t get stuck behind the type who even struggle with an ATM. 

[clivebaxter]

Hate these money saving machines, much rather line up for 10 minutes and be able to ask a nice check in girl a question if needed. You still have to line up anyway to check the bags in, not in the customers interest IMO

[Surelynot]

20 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

I hope I don’t get stuck behind the type who even struggle with an ATM. 

Sorry

[Surelynot]

6 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

Hate these money saving machines, much rather line up for 10 minutes and be able to ask a nice check in girl a question if needed. You still have to line up anyway to check the bags in, not in the customers interest IMO

Stupid I know..........but I do tend to panic faced with these and such like........especially if I think Wiggy is stood behind me.

[clivebaxter]

Recall when these were brought in at terminal 5 Heathrow a few years back. Asked an assistant what the idea was. She said it's in the customers interest, so I pointed to the long line waiting to check bags in with lots of overweight bags and arguing passengers and asked her how? Then you were meant to join the line at appointed times, nobody did of course.

Edited June 6, 2021 by clivebaxter

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, clivebaxter said:

Recall when these were brought in at terminal 5 Heathrow a few years back. Asked an assistant what the idea was. She said it's in the customers interest, so I pointed to the long line waiting to check bags in with lots of overweight bags and arguing passengers and asked her how? Then you were meant to join the line at appointed times, nobody did of course.

They are only of use if you can also self-load your luggage ......which these allow you to.....it is claimed.

[Saltire]

These machines have been in use around the world for a decade, e.g Schiphol, Heathrow etc.

 

Why are they just getting around to it now?

 

I don't mind them at all and am looking forward to a similar machine for entering Thailand.

 

I do however mind the self-scan machines in supermarkets as it seems many things I buy are not in the database. Can be annoying!

 

 

 

 

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Saltire said:

I do however mind the self-scan machines in supermarkets as it seems many things I buy are not in the database

Only used one once.....ended up with three people helping me......stressful or what.

[clivebaxter]

6 minutes ago, Saltire said:

These machines have been in use around the world for a decade, e.g Schiphol, Heathrow etc.

 

Why are they just getting around to it now?

 

I don't mind them at all and am looking forward to a similar machine for entering Thailand.

 

I do however mind the self-scan machines in supermarkets as it seems many things I buy are not in the database. Can be annoying!

 

 

 

 

How can a machine stamp your passport with the re entry date and permission to stay until on returning?

[Karma80]

"build traveler confidence in the AoT’s public health security"

 

Literally a machine with buttons and a touch screen that every user will put their germy paws on to use.

 

At least if you said, we know people find this a <deleted> experience, but we don't want to pay staff there is honesty.

[Saltire]

15 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

How can a machine stamp your passport with the re entry date and permission to stay until on returning?

It was a bit of subtle humour.

 

Although the last time I visited the UK, I entered by doing just that, scan passport, no stamp all recorded in the background. One policeman scanning 6 queues. Less than a minute to enter.

 

[Phuketshrew]

Wonderful to know that they will be prepared and ready for when the gazillion tourists return ...

[clivebaxter]

6 minutes ago, Saltire said:

It was a bit of subtle humour.

 

Although the last time I visited the UK, I entered by doing just that, scan passport, no stamp all recorded in the background. One policeman scanning 6 queues. Less than a minute to enter.

 

More like 4 hours now while they go through all the paper work and covid tests, sound horrendous

[sungod]

37 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Only used one once.....ended up with three people helping me......stressful or what.

I've heard you have even got to fill your own car up now too!

[Captain Monday]

31 minutes ago, clivebaxter said:

How can a machine stamp your passport with the re entry date and permission to stay until on returning?

Passport stamps are behind the times.

 

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, sungod said:

I've heard you have even got to fill your own car up now too!

Huge benefit living in Thailand for sure ...pump attendants.......just got to make sure I ask for the correct fuel.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said they will install 180 machines

 

The decision makers have found their way to siphon off some money.... ????

 

 

Adding a physical point of contact between passengers who all touch the same item (machine) creates an additional point on transmission between passengers, meanwhile a load of other people loose their jobs - the ‘excuse’ that these machines reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19 is wrong.

 

So, will the check-in clerks who’ve been replaced by the machines be re-employed to wipe down and disinfect the machines between each passenger ??

 

 

These machines have been added to airports world wide and I have not seen them speed up or improve the check-in process when we have baggage. 

 

The biggest PITA is in Japan where they have to be used for the TG flights. They actually add time to the check in process when we also have baggage and have to queue up longer for that because there is not enough check-in staff. 

 

Additionally, what is the point of a ‘Check-in machine’ - we can check-in online, print our own boarding passes or use a Digital boarding pass... but for some reason every time I’ve done that (Air Asia / Emirates etc) we still have to check in anyway and still get a real boarding pass printed !

 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by richard_smith237

[Tropicalevo]

11 minutes ago, sungod said:

I've heard you have even got to fill your own car up now too!

A sad story but true.

Last time I went to the UK, I stopped at a petrol station to refill the hire car.

I sat there for about two minutes until I heard a speaker tell me that it was self service.

As for paying.........

[mfd101]

29 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

Passport stamps are behind the times.

 

Not in Thailand.

[mfd101]

If Don Muaeng is anything to go by over the last several years, they won't make a staff saving in any case.

 

They have to employ staff to man (and mostly woman) the machines for everyone who can't work out what to do.

 

In my case the trickiest bit is the last bit - getting the long sticky thingy you're supposed to wrap around your suitcase handle to come out right and then strip off the redundant bit and wrap it the right way round the handle. I've never managed it yet though my b/f does, about 50% of the time.

 

 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

Hate these money saving machines, much rather line up for 10 minutes and be able to ask a nice check in girl a question if needed. You still have to line up anyway to check the bags in, not in the customers interest IMO

 

So you're the happy chatty sort that asks the check-in clerk all kinds of irrelevant questions and making people stand in line? There's also the flanker who knows his ticket has some sort of limitation and ends up tying up a check-in line while a supervisor tries to explain politely that no, you cannot fly today.

 

I have used 'contactless' check-in facilities at Singapore, Hong Kong and Amsterdam. It's great being able to scan and print stuff, attach the labels and drop your bag on a conveyor or see it disappear down a chute within 5 minutes of arriving at the airport. This allows for later, more relaxed airport arrivals or more lounge time once you get airside.

 

I saw these new machines a few days back as I was heading out and was wondering when they would turn them on. Right now with maybe 50 pax on an A350, check-in is easy but once things get back to normal, there should be no need to do things the 'old fashioned. way.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

How can a machine stamp your passport with the re entry date and permission to stay until on returning?

They are for flight check-in on leaving Thailand, not Immigration.

[spidermike007]

A step toward efficiency was not needed, when Swampy was handling 38 million people a year. Now that we are down to 500 passengers a month, and likely no more than 50,000 passengers a month for the next year or so, they install them. 

 

The real question is, why aren't these guys working at JPL? 

[NanLaew]

28 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Adding a physical point of contact between passengers who all touch the same item (machine) creates an additional point on transmission between passengers, meanwhile a load of other people loose their jobs. 

 

So, will the check-in clerks who’ve been replaced by the machines be re-employed to wipe down and disinfect the machines between each passenger ??

 

Yes, but they'll still need minimum ordinary degree from Chula, same as the 7-eleven girls.

[The Hammer2021]

1 hour ago, clivebaxter said:

How can a machine stamp your passport with the re entry date and permission to stay until on returning?

It's check in not security or border control

[The Hammer2021]

3 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

If Don Muaeng is anything to go by over the last several years, they won't make a staff saving in any case.

 

They have to employ staff to man (and mostly woman) the machines for everyone who can't work out what to do.

 

In my case the trickiest bit is the last bit - getting the long sticky thingy you're supposed to wrap around your suitcase handle to come out right and then strip off the redundant bit and wrap it the right way round the handle. I've never managed it yet though my b/f does, about 50% of the time.

 

 

It's called a LABEL

[The Hammer2021]

57 minutes ago, Saltire said:

It was a bit of subtle humour.

 

Although the last time I visited the UK, I entered by doing just that, scan passport, no stamp all recorded in the background. One policeman scanning 6 queues. Less than a minute to enter.

 

Very subtle to the point of not being humorous

[Captain Monday]

If there is no girl at each machine it always makes it slower, fortunately Asian airports are overstaffed with many people standing around doing nothing, perhaps beckoning with an open hand, or managers holding clipboards. The latest machines I saw one port in US are touch free, these are probably a bubba deal used, just more touch points/vectors. Watching customers handling those long bag stickers is a cruel joke takes ages. Get it wrong you'll never see your luggage at arrival. An international airport one usually has to stand in line anyway to check documents then weight check bags. No way this will save time or protect from koro-NAH, in a dream world they just reduce ground staff, lines stay long anyway. 

 

Cut the baloney and open the country.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Captain Monday

[clivebaxter]

34 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

If Don Muaeng is anything to go by over the last several years, they won't make a staff saving in any case.

 

They have to employ staff to man (and mostly woman) the machines for everyone who can't work out what to do.

 

In my case the trickiest bit is the last bit - getting the long sticky thingy you're supposed to wrap around your suitcase handle to come out right and then strip off the redundant bit and wrap it the right way round the handle. I've never managed it yet though my b/f does, about 50% of the time.

 

 

Yup just like Major Cineplex cinema- auto ticket machines with an assistant by each one helping people get tickets, which take a while to print.

I even needed help sticking the label on the case last time!