Delta Air Lines is to launch four self-service bag drop machines at Minnesota’s Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport in the US later this year. 

The $600,000 investment will enable passengers to check their own bags quickly, securely and easily without the need to stand in long queues.

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The airline intends to test biometric-based self-service bag drop system by equipping one machine with facial recognition technology that will match customers with their passport photos through identification verification.

Delta senior vice-president Gareth Joyce said: “We expect this investment and new process to save customers time.

“And, since customers can operate the biometric-based bag drop machine independently, we see a future where Delta agents will be freed up to seek out travellers and deliver more proactive and thoughtful customer service.”

Being the first US carrier to introduce self-service bag drops and facial-recognition technology, Delta aims to streamline its airport processes. The new biometric-based self-service bag drop system is complemented by the company’s radio frequency identification technology. 

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"We expect this investment and new process to save customers time."

Joyce added: “This is the next step in curating an airport experience that integrates thoughtful innovation from start to finish. 

“We’re making travel easier than ever for our customers and continuing to deliver a leading customer experience.”

During the trial, Delta will collect passenger feedback and carry out process analyses to demonstrate the use of the new technology in enhancing customer experience.

Studies show that self-service bag drops are capable of processing twice as many passengers each hour.

Image: Delta self-service bag drop. Photo: courtesy of Delta Airlines, Inc.