Amid a barrage of complaints, a smart facility is in the offing for passengers at Chennai airport in four months. In a bid to elevate the travel experience of passengers, smart baggage trolleys in both the domestic and international terminals will be introduced by October.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) has awarded the contract to a firm to manufacture nearly 100 smart baggage trolleys, and this firm will have four months to roll out the facility.

Modern features

The trolleys will be fitted with tab-like screens, baskets for holding the cabin baggage, USB ports for mobile charging, and bottle holders.

The trolley will guide passengers in finding their way in security hold area until they board the flight. Of these, 40 will be located in departure zones of the T2 International Terminal, 40 in the T1 Domestic Terminal and 20 in the T4 Domestic Terminal respectively.

AAI officials said that after passengers complete the check-in and security check, they can pick up these trolleys in the designated areas. They can use the trolleys after scanning their boarding passes on the screen.

‘Innovative technology’

“The passenger profile is rapidly changing and so are their expectations. We want the airport to be equipped with innovative technology and help them have a smooth experience. Once the boarding pass is scanned, the tab screen will display a host of information for the passenger, including flight timings, way to the boarding gate, lounges, various shops located in the security hold area and toilets. This will aid in seamless navigation,” an official said.

While the number of eateries and retail shops at Chennai airport is limited compared to private airports in the country, these trolleys will still be helpful, especially for first-time travellers. Instead of having to walk around looking for a specific restaurant, the facility will show the list of restaurants and a passenger can directly head there.

The screen will constantly update the flight and gate information as well.

The trolleys will be launched in a phased manner. Initially, 30 trolleys will be introduced in October, another 30 by the end of November and 40 more by December.