A decade of innovation at London Heathrow

Self-service check-in and bag drop transform the passenger experience at Britain’s busiest airport

+270 self-service bag drop units installed across Heathrow’s terminals
At its peak, Heathrow’s bag drop units processed 1.5 bags every second
25% of Heathrow’s new self-service check-in kiosks are DDA and PRM compliant

Ten years ago, self-service was in its infancy. However, as terminals began to reach capacity, driven by a boom in air travel, airports started looking at more efficient ways to manage passenger flows, minimize delays and modernize the traveler experience. Self-service automation was to become a key enabler.

In 2012, London Heathrow took its first steps towards embracing self-service technology, piloting ICM Airport Technic’s* Auto Bag Drop devices which then became a permanent fixture across Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Then in 2022, plans to replace the airport’s self-service check-in kiosks were reinstated - following a forced delay caused by the global pandemic – and 250 units are now fully operational, establishing Heathrow as one of the world’s major adopters of self-service technology.

Check out our case study to read the full story and learn why Heathrow insists Amadeus’ support model is essential to its success, along with passenger-friendly ergonomics and future-proof functionalities.

* ICM Airport Technics became an Amadeus company in 2019.

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