Qantas today announced that Next Generation Check-in technology has started rolling out across its regional network.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said this was a significant milestone in the program.
"Next Generation Check-in provides our customers with a smarter, faster check-in experience and we're excited to be delivering this technology for customers in our regional ports," said Mr Joyce.
"When our customers told us that queuing was a point of pain we responded. Next Generation Check-in has been successfully implemented in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne and has dramatically reduced domestic check-in times for customers allowing them to move through the check-in area with speed and ease.
"Twenty-one regional airports, including sixteen QantasLink ports, will receive Next Generation Check-in technology over the next four months," he said.
Albury, Rockhampton, Karratha, Broome, Coffs Harbour and Mackay are the first ports to benefit from the introduction of Q Card Reader technology, and will be shortly followed by Emerald, Hobart, Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland and Port Macquarie.
Mr Joyce said Platinum, Gold and Silver Frequent Flyers and Qantas Club members will be checked in within seconds with one touch of their Qantas card on the Q Card Readers.
Q Card Readers will also be installed in Gladstone, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Alice Springs, Newman, Wagga Wagga, Townsville, Launceston, Paraburdoo, Darwin and Cairns.
"From May, Q Bag technology will also be introduced across the regional network.
"The Q Bag Tag is a cutting edge innovation and Qantas is proud to be the first airline to introduce this world-leading technology to our customers."
The Q Bag Tag automatically links customers' luggage with their flight details when scanned by Qantas Customer Service staff.
Next Generation Check-in will be progressively introduced to Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra throughout 2011. The program is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2011.
An online demonstration providing a step-by-step guide to Next Generation Check-in is available on qantas.com/nextgenerationcheckin
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