Pop-up check-in stands aim to consign airport hassles to history

Airline passengers will be able to avoid the pre-flight ritual of lugging heavy bags to the airport and around the departure terminal as the world’s first pop-up check-in system enters service. Devised by Amadeus IT Group SA, the technology will facilitate check-in for groups of travellers at hotels, schools, conference centers and sports stadiums, the world’s biggest flight-bookings provider said Tuesday. Bags are taken onward to the airport by truck for the usual security screening. Virgin Australia will pioneer the service after a successful trial at Sydney’s main cruise terminal, where it allows passengers to enjoy the time before their flight unencumbered by luggage, according to local logistics specialist OACIS, which has partnered with Amadeus. The system, which uses cloud-based technology to remotely access an airline’s passenger-processing system, is likely to rolled out across Virgin airports in Australia and New Zealand over the next 12 to 18 months. <br/>