The service will make the check-in process smoother by allowing passengers to check in their baggage remotely at check-in points and carry only their hand baggage at the airport. The pilot takes place in Hämeenlinna and Kittilä.
– Finavia has good experiences of remote baggage check-ins with cruise operators who bring their passengers via Helsinki Airport. The current pilot projects are important for the development of the travel experience by Finavia, which is why we have allocated both time and equipment to the testing. We want to find out if there is sufficient demand for this kind of service and how we should develop the model, says Heikki Koski, Airport Vice President at Finavia.
– We want to make checking in as smooth and stress-free as possible. These pilots test the effectiveness of our remote check-in service and its effects on the customer experience and our process. We already have a service that allows passengers on early-morning flights to check in their baggage the night before. Now, we want to find out if there is demand for remote check-in points, says Timo Rissanen, Head of Helsinki Ground Experience at Finnair.
Kittilä: Tourist information centre at Levi
Remote check-ins are being tested on four Finnair flights from Kittilä to Helsinki in September. Finnair will inform the passengers of the remote check-in option via SMS, and the check-in point is at the tourist information centre at Levi.
Hämeenlinna: Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna
In Hämeenlinna, remote check-in is being tested from 1 to 31 October 2017 at Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna. Passengers on Finnair’s flights can check in their hold baggage in the hotel lobby, using the self-service check-in kiosk.
If the flight departs after 3 p.m., baggage must be checked in by 12 noon on the same day, and if the flight departs in the morning, baggage must be dropped off at the hotel by 12 noon the day before. Finnair and Finavia will transport the baggage to Helsinki Airport and forward it to the right flight.
Passengers, on the other hand, will arrive at the airport by car, train or bus with their hand baggage. The Hämeenlinna pilot covers flights operated by Finnair and Norra, excluding Finnair’s non-stop flights to the United States.
The pilot in Hämeenlinna is funded by the Agile and Sustainable Mobility programme of the Growth Corridor Finland network.
– We want to develop easy mobility, smooth connections and new mobility services in the area, says Anne Horila, Project Manager of Growth Corridor Finland.
Finavia and Finnair will decide whether to offer remote check-in in the future on the basis of the pilot project findings.
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