United Airlines just launched its new “bag drop shortcut” at all seven of its US hub airports.
The service speeds up the bag check process, which United said can be a “stressful and time-consuming part of travel.”
Checking in via United’s mobile app will allow customers to bypass the regular bag drop line and use the shortcut.
The airport experience just got a little easier for United Airlines passengers.
A United Airlines airplane is seen at the Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, United States.
Over the years, self-service bag drop stations have been popping up at airports across the world as a way to speed up the check-in process, especially during busy travel seasons.
Self-service check in at Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
Airlines like Southwest and JetBlue have made it easy for travelers to print bag tags at kiosks and attach them to their luggage.
Getting a bag tag to check my bag on JetBlue.
But, United has come up with a new way to streamline the process, particularly after customer surveys revealed the bag drop process can be “one of the more stressful and time-consuming parts of the travel experience.”
United’s original self-service bag drop at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Step 1 required passengers to first check-in at the kiosk and get their bag tag and step 2 was dropping the bag.
Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
On Thursday, the Chicago-based carrier announced “bag drop shortcut” — a free way to skip the line at the airport and check-in baggage quickly, saving precious time that may make or break a vacation. Here’s how it works.
United’s new bag drop shortcut at San Francisco International Airport.
Customers who want to use the service must check in on United’s mobile app where they will select the number of bags they have and be given instructions on how to find the counter.
United’s new “bag drop shortcut.”
Once customers navigate to the bag drop, they will simply scan their boarding pass at the designated kiosk and then weigh their bag.
United’s new bag drop shortcut.
United started testing the new system in August 2021 at its Newark base and found that the shortcut reduced customers’ time spent checking in luggage to just one minute or less, on average.
United’s new bag drop shortcut at Los Angeles International Airport.
According to the airline, the shortcut was “instantly popular,” reducing wait times for all travelers and significantly increasing customer satisfaction.
United’s new bag drop shortcut.
Over the past six months, United has expanded the concept into a fully functioning system across all its hubs, including Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
United’s new bag drop shortcut.
“Our initial customer data proves this free, simple-to-use process saves our customers time and energy as they get ready for their flight,” United chief customer officer Toby Enqvist said. “We’re thrilled to be the first to offer this service to all customers who check-in on our award-winning mobile app.”
United’s new bag drop shortcut.
“Bag drop shortcut” is the latest addition to United’s innovative customer service technology. In 2020, the company launched a QR-powered “Agent on Demand” service that directly connects travelers with live agents via their mobile phone.
United’s agent on demand service.
The technology allows customers to skip the lines at airport customer service desks and instead call, text, or video chat with a real person. According to United, the chat function can be used in over 100 different languages.
United’s agent on demand service.
