Virgin Australia tests off-airport check-in service

Virgin Australia has begun using a “pop-up” baggage check-in service developed jointly by Australian aviation tech company OACIS (Off Airport Check-in Solutions) and Madrid-based travel industry IT developer Amadeus. The service allows passengers to check in and drop off baggage, for any airline, away from the airport, Amadeus said, using the company’s ACUS (Airport Common Use Service) cloud-based technology to access airlines’ check-in systems. OACIS is an off-airport mobile check-in service that can set up in any location—such as a cruise terminal, a hotel, a train station or a conference site—using a laptop and an internet connection. The service checks in the passenger and baggage and, according to the company, “securely transports their bags to the airport and injects them directly into the airport baggage system.” According to Amadeus, Virgin Australia is the first airline to use the OACIS service, starting with a pilot program in Sydney for cruise ship passengers connecting to Virgin Australia flights. The company plans to expand to New Zealand and additional markets by mid-2019.<br/>