US Airways Wins Self-Service Excellence Award by Extending Self-Service Check-in to the Curb

US Airways has received the 2010 Self-Service Excellence Award in the "Best Travel/Hospitality Deployment" category for improving the passenger experience with self-service check-in kiosks from NCR Corporation. Presented annually by KioskCom, the awards  recognize the most innovative and successful self-service programs.

US Airways partnered with NCR, a leading provider of travel self-service solutions, to reduce wait times and streamline passenger processing. The airline initially deployed NCR TouchPort IIC kiosks in 2007 to improve passenger flow within the airport. With passenger usage at nearly 80 percent, US Airways extended the convenience of self-service check-in to the curb with the first deployment of "outdoor" NCR TouchPort 80 kiosks.

"We are committed to improving the travel experience for our passengers and understand our customers' need for check-in to be as quick and easy as possible," said Kerry Hester, US Airways vice president, reservations and customer service planning. "With the NCR TouchPort kiosks, we are able to offer passengers the most state-of-the-art tools and technology to enhance their travel experience."

Designed to withstand inclement weather and fluctuating temperatures, the NCR TouchPort 80 is water resistant and employs an integrated thermoelectric device to heat and cool the unit. In addition to speeding up the check-in process by expanding touch point options, the advanced performance of the built-in Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor significantly reduces average transaction times and contributes to a more convenient and faster experience.

US Airways has installed NCR TouchPort 80 kiosks in 15 U.S. cities including Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, New Orleans, New York (LaGuardia), Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence, San Diego, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. (DCA) as well as St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

"Consumers around the world are increasingly demanding higher levels of service with the expectation to be able conduct transactions how, where and when they want," said Theresa Heinz, vice president and general manager, NCR Travel and Gaming. "By offering self-service kiosks both inside and outside the airport, US Airways stands apart from other airlines, offering its customers a more convenient and efficient travel experience."

Additionally, US Airways employed NCR Services to deliver end-to-end operational kiosk support, ensuring the highest level of system reliability for its passengers.

Source: Business Wire