Alaska Airlines Bids Farewell to Ticket Counter With New Check-in System At Anchorage Airport.Business Editors ANCHORAGE, Alaska--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 2002 Goodbye ticket counter. Hello "Airport of the Future." Today, Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines, (NYSE: ALK) is an airline based in Seattle, Washington, United States. It operates hubs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Portland International Airport. unveils a prototype of its high-tech check-in system at Anchorage International Airport that does away with the traditional ticket counter. Instead, the new system separates the check-in process from the bag-tagging process to create a more flowing, natural pathway from curbside curb·side n. 1. The side of a pavement or street that is bordered by a curb. 2. A sidewalk. adj. Located, operating, or occurring at or along the sidewalk or curb: to planeside plane·side n. The area adjacent to an airplane. for customers. "The check-in process really hasn't changed much since the stage coach days," said Ed White, Alaska's vice president of ground operations. "Our goal was to reinvent re·in·vent tr.v. re·in·vent·ed, re·in·vent·ing, re·in·vents 1. To make over completely: "She reinvented Indian cooking to fit a Western kitchen and a Western larder" the check-in process in a way that makes sense to 21st century travelers." The prototype, which is installed adjacent to the existing ticket counter, provides a glimpse of what's to come when Alaska Airlines moves its check-in facilities to its new terminal at the airport, which is scheduled to open in 2004. Instead of queuing up at a ticket counter, customers will check in and receive their boarding passes at an array of Alaska Airlines Instant Travel Machines (ITMs) in the area. They also can check in at any ITM ITM See: In-the-money located elsewhere in the airport, or at an offsite location, as well as check in online at www.alaskaair.com. While customers without luggage will proceed directly to the security checkpoint, those with luggage will be directed to new, centrally located baggage drop-off points. There, agents will scan customers' boarding passes and tag their baggage before the bags are carried away on a cutting-edge conveyor belt conveyor belt One of various devices that provide mechanized movement of material, as in a factory. Conveyor belts are used in industrial applications and also on large farms, in warehousing and freight-handling, and in movement of raw materials. system. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. White, a scaled-down version of the old-fashioned ticket counter will still exist in the future, but only for the small percentage of passengers traveling today who have more complex transactions or need additional assistance. Alaska Airlines became the first North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. carrier to sell tickets online in 1995, and in 1999 was the first carrier in the world to allow customers to check in for flights online via the Internet. More than one-third of Alaska customers currently check in electronically via either the Web or at one of more than 370 Instant Travel Machines located at 71 airports. Alaska and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 80 cities in Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom on the Internet at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com. |
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