Client Overview
Close, relaxed, direct – Albrecht Dürer Airport Nuremberg scores with short distances to the terminal and excellent personal service. With around four million passengers a year, non-stop connections to interesting city and vacation destinations in Europe and North Africa on board established airlines, the airport has been the gateway to the world for the Nuremberg metropolitan region for almost 70 years.
Nuremberg Airport attaches significant importance to efficient processes and customer convenience for a positive airport experience. Together with some airlines, the airport therefore now also offers passengers the option of checking in their baggage themselves (automated baggage drop-off) and thus becoming independent of counter opening hours.
The Challenge
Nuremberg Airport, like many other airports worldwide, faced significant challenges in managing baggage drop-off processes efficiently due to limited real estate and baggage injection points. To address issues related to congestion and exception handling, Nuremberg Airport was seeking to implement a two-step solution that aimed to streamline baggage handling procedures and enhance overall operational efficiency. To tackle this issue, they sought a two-step solution, prioritizing reliability, and efficiency.
By deploying Embross VelocityOne (V1) Kiosks equipped with weigh scales at step 1, they aimed to prevent exceptions and congestion at step 2, where baggage injection occurs. The collaboration between Embross and Nuremberg Airport resulted in the integration of 6 V1 Kiosks, facilitating bag weighing and tag printing at the initial stage.
To efficiently manage this surge and maintain their service standards, Nuremberg Airport partnered with Embross to deploy its leading self Bag Drop system.
The Solution
The proposed solution involved the integration of Embross V1 Kiosks with weigh scales at the first step of the baggage drop-off process. By incorporating weigh scales at this initial stage, passengers could conveniently weigh their bags and print tags, thereby minimizing the likelihood of exceptions arising during subsequent processing stages. This not only simplified the baggage handling process for passengers but also contributed to a more systematic flow of operations at the airport.
To complement the introduction of V1 Kiosks, Nuremberg Airport decided to incorporate retrofit (VBD-R) Bag drops. This strategic decision allowed for a seamless transition from the initial weighing and tag printing stage to the final baggage drop-off point. The innovative design and smart arm features of the VBD-R Bag drops enabled airport staff to efficiently assist passengers when needed, thereby ensuring a smoother and more efficient baggage handling experience.
At Nuremberg Airport, the implementation of Embross’ flagship V1 kiosks at step 1, in conjunction with the weighscale feature in its FASTag application, has revolutionized the bag tagging process. By integrating weighing into the bag tagging procedure, only compliant bags within the passenger’s allowed weight limit receive printed bag tags. Additionally, the system identifies bags exceeding 23kg by printing HEAVY tags for health and safety compliance. This shift of the weighing process to step 1 optimizes space in the departure hall, eliminating congestion and exception handling at step 2. In the subsequent step, passengers effortlessly scan their boarding passes for validation before their bags are processed, ensuring a swift and efficient workflow with minimal manual intervention.
The Result
With a solutions-based approach at the forefront, Nuremberg Airport navigated the complexities of identifying underlying business problems, leading to well-informed decisions based on accurate and reliable passenger information. The successful implementation and deployment of the Embross Self Bag Drop system empowered Nuremberg Airport to monitor passenger data with precision and confidence.
The collaborative efforts between Embross and Nuremberg Airport played a crucial role in the successful implementation of the two-step solution. Through meticulous planning, installation, and testing, the new system was seamlessly integrated into the airport’s existing infrastructure. Furthermore, training programs were conducted to familiarize airport staff with the operational intricacies of the system, enabling them to provide support and guidance to passengers effectively.
The seamless installation and setup of these solutions enabled the airport to efficiently begin gathering crucial information. This initial success story paved the way for Nuremberg Airport to embrace innovation, transitioning a huge portion of their international check-in processes to Self Bag Drop, with full adoption within their terminal.
Following the implementation of the two-step solution, Nuremberg Airport witnessed a notable reduction in congestion and exception handling at baggage drop-off points. The optimized baggage handling processes not only enhance the overall passenger experience but also contribute to improved operational efficiency within the airport. Moreover, the flexibility offered by the counters, which could be utilized by both passengers and airport staff, further underscore the success of the new system.