The touchless bag drop technology will allow passengers to check in their luggage without touching the screens on the kiosks. Credit: © Amadeus IT Group SA.

Heathrow Airport (LHR) in the UK has initiated a trial of touchless bag drop technology developed by the Spanish IT solution provider Amadeus.

Using proximity sensors, the touchless bag drop technology allows passengers to check-in their luggage without physically contacting the screens on the kiosks.

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The new technology has been installed at six Auto Bag Drop (ABD) units, which were delivered by ICM Airport Technics, part of Amadeus.

Heathrow Airport Process Improvement director Mark Burgess said: “We’re preparing to welcome back more travellers, by looking for new and innovative technologies that will help to ensure the passenger experience remains safe and efficient in a post-Covid world.

“That’s why we’re delighted to be working with Amadeus to trial these touchless self-service bag drop units. This is just one of many new measures that we’re implementing across our terminals, as part of Heathrow’s Fly Safe programme.”

The contactless solution has an infra-red proximity sensor deployed along the top edge of the bag drop screen, which can detect a passenger’s finger within 3cm from the screen surface.

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ICM Airport Technics, which became part of Amadeus in 2019, has supplied more than 270 ABD units to Heathrow.

ICM Airport Technics CEO Richard Dinkelmann said: “We’re working closely with our airport and airline partners to deliver solutions that help them adapt passenger services to the new environment.

“Whether it’s contactless bag drop, biometric boarding or off-airport check-in, we are working with airports to rethink how they can meet new traveller requirements.”

The Spanish firm added that it has also supplied end-to-end contactless solution to Avinor airports in Norway to create a touchless experience from check-in to boarding.